March 21, 2024

Congresswoman Bush Delivers Floor Speech on Exclusion of RECA from Spending Bill

 

WATCH HERE: “It is past time that this body gets its priorities straight,” says Bush

Washington D.C. (Mar. 21, 2024) — Today, Congresswoman Cori Bush (MO-01) delivered a speech on the House floor to express her grave disappointment that the Radiation Exposure Compensation Reauthorization Act (RECA) was excluded from the upcoming government spending bill that is expected to pass Congress on Friday. Watch HERE or read her full remarks, as prepared for delivery, below.

Today, Congresswoman Bush released the following statement after the text of the FY 2024 government funding bill was released without the inclusion of RECA. Last week, Congresswoman Bush joined Missouri House colleagues in a letter urging both House and Senate leadership, and the Appropriations Committees, to include RECA in the upcoming FY 2024 appropriations.

“St. Louis and I rise to express our grave disappointment that neither the extension or expansion of the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act is included in this spending bill.

“Decades ago, our government dumped radioactive waste in communities across this country – including in my district. To this day, many of my constituents are sick and dying because of their exposure. World War II is still killing people in my district.

“We were wronged by the federal government and rather than taking responsibility to make it right, Congress couldn’t spare one dime on this bipartisan effort to compensate the victims.

“Why is it that we always have endless funds for war but never enough to repair the harm war has caused?

“It is past time that this body gets its priorities straight. Take full responsibility. Clean up this waste. Compensate those harmed. You have 78 days. I yield back.”

###