Guest guest Posted September 1, 2004 Report Share Posted September 1, 2004 > b > Tue, 31 Aug 2004 > White House in Brawl Over Weapons Workers > http://story.news./news?tmpl=story & u=/ap/20040831/ap_on_go_pr_wh/weapon\ s_workers_1 > White House in Brawl Over Weapons Workers > > Tue Aug 31, 2:22 AM ET > By NANCY ZUCKERBROD, Associated Press Writer > > WASHINGTON - The Bush administration is locked in > a rare election-year fight with fellow Republicans > in the Senate over a troubled program for tens of > thousands of weapons plant workers who got sick > building nuclear bombs. > The lawmakers say they don't understand why the > administration is blocking a Senate-passed amendment > to the defense bill that would overhaul a > compensation program bogged down by delays and other > problems. > > " I can't fully understand what their resistance > is, " said Sen. Lisa Murkowski (news, bio, voting > record), who is in a tough re-election battle in > Alaska. " We've been hammered by our constituents. " > > Many of the workers are from battleground states > in the upcoming presidential election, including > Colorado, Iowa, New Mexico, Ohio and Washington > state. > > " These people are sick and dying, " said Terrie > Barrie of Craig, Colo., whose husband was sickened > while working at the former Rocky Flats plant near > Denver. " The administration, the Department of > Energy (news - web sites), is just refusing to > listen. " > > The Senate proposal would streamline the > compensation process by having the government pay > claims directly rather than having Energy Department > contractors do it and later reimbursing them. It > also would move the program from the Energy > Department to the Labor Department (news - web > sites) and require the government to perform > environmental studies of plants. > > The lawmakers complain the Energy Department has > squandered much of the $95 million it received since > Congress created the program. As of the end of July, > the agency has paid only 31 claims out of about > 25,000 filed. The $700,000 in paid claims amounts to > an average benefit of roughly $22,500. > > Administration officials declined to comment on > their opposition to the Senate measure, except to > point to a statement by the White House budget > office citing concerns that a change would create an > " unworkable process, " cause more delays, increase > costs and expand the program's scope. > > Senators say their bill does not add new benefits, > but would ensure that more workers eligible for > compensation get it. > > House members appear to be siding with the > administration. > > Rep. Zach Wamp (news, bio, voting record), > R-Tenn., said changing who runs the program would > cause more delays. He also expressed concern about > GOP members in Congress feuding with a Republican > administration during a presidential election year. > > Harry Williams, a former worker at the Energy > Department's Oak Ridge, Tenn., facility, said he is > a Republican who doesn't plan to vote for Bush this > November as long as the administration continues to > oppose the changes workers want. > > " I voted for him last time, but this time around I > don't think I will, " Williams said. " As it comes to > dealing with the working guy, his administration > doesn't have a feel for it. " > > Democrats are generally trying to steer clear of > politicizing the issue. > > The tension between GOP lawmakers and the > administration was highlighted a month ago when the > White House announced the recess appointment of > Susan Grant as the Energy Department's chief > financial officer. > > Sen. Jim Bunning (news, bio, voting record), > R-Ky., had been blocking her nomination to protest > the department's handling of the compensation > program. President Bush (news - web sites) made the > appointment while Congress was in recess, skirting > the need for Senate confirmation. > > The workers were exposed to toxic substances such > as radiation, heavy metals, asbestos and harsh > solvents and acids while employed by Energy > Department contractors. They often were not told > what they were working with and did not have > adequate protections. > > " These are our Cold War veterans, " said Sen. Lamar > Alexander (news - web sites), R-Tenn. " They were > working in an environment that they thought was > safe. It wasn't safe. " > > Other influential Republican senators who support > the overhaul include Majority Leader Bill Frist of > Tennessee, Energy Committee Chairman Pete Domenici > of New Mexico, Appropriations Committee Chairman Ted > Stevens of Alaska and Finance Committee Chairman > Charles Grassley of Iowa. > > The proposal to help the workers is part of a > defense bill passed by the Senate, but it is not > included in a House-passed version. GOP senators are > trying to persuade House members to include the > changes in the final bill, but their efforts have > been opposed by the Bush administration. > > Congress passed a law four years ago directing the > Energy Department to help the workers file claims > for lost wages and medical benefits under state > worker compensation systems. That reversed a > decades-old practice in which the government helped > contractors fight the workers' claims. > > http://story.news./news?tmpl=story & u=/ap/20040831/ap_on_go_pr_wh/weapon\ s_workers_1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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