Colorado Lawmakers Urge Government to Eliminate Red Tape for Sick Nuclear Workers Seeking Help for On-the-Job Illness

Press Release

In Letter, Lawmakers Ask Agencies to Implement Provisions of Charlie Wolf Nuclear Workers Compensation Act through Administrative Rulemaking

Saying that they fear sick nuclear weapons workers are still facing significant obstacles to getting compensation for their illnesses -- which they "believe result in the delay or even denial of legitimate claims" -- seven Colorado lawmakers led by U.S. Senator Mark Udall today announced that they have asked the federal government to take the initiative to make a compensation program more patient-friendly. In addition to Senator Udall, the letter was signed by Senator Michael Bennet, and U.S. Representatives Diana DeGette, Jared Polis, John Salazar, Betsy Markey, and Ed Perlmutter.

The lawmakers are co-sponsors of Senate and House bills named for Charlie Wolf, who contracted cancer after exposure to radiation in his work at Rocky Flats and other weapons manufacturing sites, and who fought the government for help until he died last year. The Charlie Wolf Nuclear Workers Compensation Act would improve the Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation Program Act (EEOICPA) to ensure patients like Charlie Wolf aren't blocked from getting compensation by the government program that was designed to help them.

But because the bill is still waiting on action in Congress, the lawmakers wrote to the Secretaries of Labor and Health and Human Services, asking them to implement its provisions through "administrative rulemaking" in the meantime. The lawmakers said they made the request because they continue to hear stories from constituents about problems that have prevented sick and dying former nuclear weapons workers from getting compensation they were promised.

"Although we will continue to strongly promote this legislation, we are concerned that many claimants will continue to experience delays and denials of compensation until this legislation can be enacted and implemented," they wrote. "While we are mindful of the need to review claims and make sure that compensation is due, we also believe that many deserving claimants are encountering significant obstacles in this process -- obstacles that we believe result in the delay or even denial of legitimate claims."

Rulemaking is allowed under the federal Administrative Procedure Act. The lawmakers specifically asked that rules be amended to:

* Make them more effective in processing claims,
* Lessen the burden on claimants,
* Take into account the difficulties of securing access to needed records and information.

More information about the Charlie Wolf Nuclear Workers Compensation Act is available HERE.

Source