[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 116 (Thursday, July 19, 2007)]
[Senate]
[Pages S9615-S9616]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mrs. FEINSTEIN (for herself and Mrs. Boxer):
  S. 1820. A bill to better provide for compensation for certain 
persons injured in the course of employment at the Santa Susana Field 
Laboratory in California; to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, 
and Pensions.
  Mrs. FEINSTEIN. Mr. President, I rise to introduce legislation to 
enable hundreds of former Santa Susana Field Laboratory workers or 
their survivors

[[Page S9616]]

to receive compensation for illnesses caused by exposure to radiation 
and other toxic substances.
  These benefits have long been denied them due to flaws in the Energy 
Employees Occupational Injury Compensation Act of 2000.
  This bill fulfills the intent of Congress when it approved the act, 
providing compensation and care for nuclear program workers who 
suffered severe health problems caused by on-the-job exposure to 
radiation.
  Specifically, this bill will provide a special status designation, 
under the Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation Act, to 
Santa Susana Field Laboratory employees, so they can receive the 
benefits they deserve.
  The bill would extend the ``special exposure cohort'' status to 
Department of Energy employees, Department of Energy contract 
employees, or atomic weapons employees who worked at the Santa Susana 
Field Laboratory for at least 250 days prior to January 1, 2006.
  This revision will provide the act's benefits to any of those workers 
who contracted a radiation-linked cancer due to their employment at the 
Santa Susana Field Laboratory.
  Workers at the Santa Susana Field Laboratory played a significant 
role in keeping our Nation secure during the Cold War. They helped 
develop our nuclear weapons program, a cornerstone of our national 
defense.
  Sadly, many workers of this era were exposed to radiation on a 
regular basis. But the records are incomplete and inaccurate. Some 
records show only estimated levels of exposure for workers, and are 
imprecise. In other cases, if there were records kept, they can't be 
found today.
  Many Santa Susana Field Laboratory workers were not aware of the 
hazards at their workplace. Remarkably, no preventative equipment like 
respirators, gloves, or body suits were provided to workers.
  More than 600 claims for compensation have been filed by Santa Susana 
Field Lab workers. Mr. President, 90 percent of those have been denied 
due to lack of documentation, or inability to prove exposure 
thresholds.
  Santa Susana Field Lab workers and their families now face the burden 
of having to reconstruct exposure scenarios that existed more than 40 
years ago, in most cases with no documentation.
  The case of my constituent, Betty Reo, provides a stunning example of 
why this legislation is necessary.
  Ms. Reo's husband, Cosmo Reo, worked at the Santa Susana Field 
Laboratory as an instrumentation mechanic from April 18, 1957, until 
May 17, 1960. Cosmo worked in the rocket testing pits and was exposed 
to hydrazine, trichlorethylene and other cancer-causing chemicals which 
attack the lungs, bladder and kidneys.
  Cosmo died of renal failure in 1980. Ms. Reo applied for benefits 
under the Energy Employees Occupational Injury Compensation Act. She 
has been trying to reconstruct the exposure scenarios under which her 
husband worked, but without adequate documentation, which is virtually 
nonexistent, she has repeatedly been denied benefits.
  This bill would help people like Betty Reo.
  I urge my colleagues to join me in correcting these injustices and 
cutting through the ``red tape'' that prevents Santa Susana Field 
Laboratory workers, and their families, from receiving fair 
compensation.
  For many, such as Ms. Reo, time is running out. We can no longer 
afford to delay, and this bill provides a straightforward solution to 
fix a broken system.
  I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the 
Record.
  There being no objection, the text of the bill was ordered to be 
printed in the Record, as follows:

                                S. 1820

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. DEFINITION OF MEMBER OF SPECIAL EXPOSURE COHORT.

       (a) In General.--Section 3621(14) of the Energy Employees 
     Occupational Illness Compensation Program Act of 2000 (42 
     U.S.C. 7384l(14)) is amended by adding at the end the 
     following new subparagraph:
       ``(D) The employee was so employed for a number of work 
     days aggregating at least 250 work days before January 1, 
     2006, by the Department of Energy or a Department of Energy 
     contractor or subcontractor at the Santa Susana Field 
     Laboratory in California.''.
       (b) Reapplication.--A claim that an individual qualifies, 
     by reason of section 3621(14)(D) of the Energy Employees 
     Occupational Illness Compensation Program Act of 2000 (as 
     added by subsection (a) of this Act), for compensation or 
     benefits under such Act shall be considered for compensation 
     or benefits notwithstanding any denial of any other claim for 
     compensation with respect to such individual.
                                 ______