Senate Passes Bipartisan Bill To Assist Eugenics Victims Receiving Compensation Payments

Press Release

Last night, the Senate unanimously passed The Treatment of Certain Payments in Eugenics Compensation Act, legislation introduced by Senators Thom Tillis (R-NC) and Tom Carper (D-DE) that excludes payments from state eugenics compensation programs from consideration in determining federal benefits. Senators Richard Burr (R-NC), Tim Kaine (D-VA), and Mark Warner (D-VA) are original co-sponsors of the legislation.

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"I am proud that the Senate was able to come together to unanimously pass legislation that ensures federal laws do not unintentionally punish victims who receive eugenics compensation by preventing them from receiving the federal benefits they are entitled to," said Senator Tillis. "It is my hope this will further increase the public's awareness of the horrors and injustices of state-run eugenics and sterilization programs and help persuade other states to follow the lead of North Carolina and create their own eugenics compensation programs. My friend, former state Rep. Larry Womble, deserves special recognition for leading the decades-long fight for the living victims of North Carolina's eugenics program. Without him, the legislation that passed this week would not be possible."

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