Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.), a vocal advocate of renewing a compensation program for people sickened by radiation exposure stemming from the U.S. nuclear weapons production, plans to bring a local activist on the issue as his guest at the State of the Union address.
In a Monday press release, Hawley said Dawn Chapman, co-founder of Just Moms in St. Louis, will be his guest when President Joe Biden addresses the joint session of congress Thursday night in Washington.
On its website, the Just Moms group describes itself as “dedicated to protecting our families and our futures from further exposures to radioactive and toxic waste from the Manhattan Project era, specifically the Superfund site known as West Lake Landfill.” The group has also been active in the public debate over radioactive contamination levels around the Jana Elementary School in Florissant, Mo.
Hawley expects a vote this week on his bill to extend the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act, set to expire in June.
Hawley voted against the 2024 National Defense Authorization Act after a provision extending the radiation compensation law was trimmed from the final package.
