The Senate approved a bill on Thursday to provide compensation for American citizens previously exposed to government radiation, renewing a law first enacted over 30 years ago.

The bill by Sens. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., and Ben Ray Lujan, D-N.M., would expand the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act to include more people who believe that exposure caused their illnesses. While some Republicans have balked at the cost — an estimated $50 billion, according to Hawley’s office — the senators have argued that the government is at fault and should step up.

Before the vote, Hawley joined supporters of the bill outside the Senate. Many of them have either been diagnosed with cancer or have loved ones who have. Hawley expressed difficulty in facing them and admitting that their government was responsible for their poisoning, yet not providing any support for them.

The Senate approved the bill with a vote of 69-30, with majority support from Republicans and nearly all Democrats. However, its future in the House is uncertain.

The handling of uranium in the St. Louis region was vital in creating the atomic bombs that ultimately ended World War II and served as a crucial defense during the Cold War. However, many years later, the area is still grappling with pollution at numerous locations.

A report in July from The Associated Press, The Missouri Independent and MuckRock revealed that both the US government and companies managing nuclear bomb production and waste storage in St. Louis were cognizant of health hazards, accidents, and improper storage of contaminants, yet frequently overlooked them.

Although it is a challenge to provide conclusive proof, proponents assert that there is a significant amount of evidence to suggest that the pollution has caused illnesses among the local residents.

“I have survived breast cancer twice,” stated Chantelle Nickson-Clark, a Democratic representative for Florissant in Missouri, which is located near a creek that was polluted by nuclear waste in the 1960s. “I have also lost my mother and aunt to breast cancer, but I have two cousins who are breast cancer survivors, as well as a nephew who had a cancerous brain tumor. My family has also been affected by other genetic mutations. I am honored to represent a community that has been neglected, undervalued, misrepresented, and unheard.”

In 2022, President Joe Biden approved an executive order that extends RECA for an additional two years. However, it is set to expire in June. Hawley’s legislation proposes to extend the law for five years and encompass individuals from Missouri, Idaho, Montana, Colorado, Tennessee, Kentucky, Alaska, and Guam.

On Wednesday, the White House announced that Biden will sign the bill.

The White House released a statement stating that the President feels a strong responsibility to address toxic exposure, particularly among individuals who have been put in danger due to the government’s actions.

Some expressed concern over the expense. The Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, a taxpayer advocacy group, suggested that the bill should incorporate budgetary measures to cover the cost.

For years, supporters have been pushing for the program to encompass more locations within the United States. In New Mexico, individuals living in the neighboring areas of the site where the initial atomic bomb was exploded in 1945 – which was part of the classified Manhattan Project – were not informed of the radioactive hazards and were unaware that the ash raining down on them was the result of an atomic detonation. This included families who relied on the land for sustenance, such as farming, livestock rearing, and using cisterns as a source of drinking water.

Tina Cordova, a cancer survivor and founder of a group of New Mexico downwinders, talked about the wave of momentum for expanding the compensation program that has been building since “Oppenheimer,” a film about the development of the first atomic bomb, premiered last year.

“We are at the epicenter,” she stated. “This is where it all began. New Mexico is where the nuclear program originated, and we were the initial victims of radiation from an atomic bomb. It is completely unacceptable that we have been neglected for 79 years.”

Cordova has had many family members and friends die of cancer over the years. Thursday marked the 11th anniversary of her father’s death, and she said she was thankful to be in Washington to celebrate the vote.

She expressed that it’s time to finally do what is right and provide long-awaited justice for the people.

Last week, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, a Democrat from New York, declared that he would present the bill for a vote on the Senate floor despite ongoing discussions about funding the government. This vote, which focused solely on the legislation at hand, was a rare occurrence as Congress is currently preoccupied with budget matters.

Hawley did not confirm whether he had made a threat to delay the spending bill due to his legislation, which was initially included in a large defense bill the previous year but ultimately removed at the final moment. Nonetheless, he stated that he had committed to using all available methods to ensure the passage of the bill.

Convincing the House, led by the GOP, to adopt and approve the bill may prove to be a challenging task. Representative Cori Bush from Missouri is one of the advocates for the proposal.

In St. Louis, nuclear waste stored near Lambert Airport made its way into Coldwater Creek in the 1960s. Many people who live near the meandering creek believe the contamination is responsible for cancers and other illnesses, though experts say connecting radiation exposure to illness is complicated. Cancer concerns also have been raised by people in nearby St. Charles County, Missouri, where uranium was processed and a large quarry became contaminated, resulting in a Superfund cleanup.

In the year 2022, a primary school in St. Louis County shut down due to concerns that the nearby Coldwater Creek may have contaminated the playground and interior of the building. The Army Corps of Engineers recently stated that it is conducting tests on several homes in close proximity to the creek, as elevated levels of radiation were discovered in their backyards.

Following the release of a report by AP and other news outlets in the previous year, Hawley proposed a change to the yearly defense legislation that aimed to extend the law. The modification also aimed to offer medical insurance and compensation to individuals known as “downwinders” who were exposed to radiation during weapons testing in various new regions. This would also include those in Missouri who were exposed to nuclear waste. However, this proposal was eliminated during discussions with the House.

Supporters of the legislation who journeyed to the nation’s capital to cast their votes expressed their belief that it offers a glimmer of hope for themselves and their loved ones who have been struggling with overwhelming healthcare expenses.

According to Christen Commuso, an employee of the Missouri Coalition for the Environment, she has faced several medical problems, including thyroid cancer. As a result, she has had to limit her healthcare at times due to the high expenses.

Commuso stated that it is not a matter of simply having more money, but rather about being able to access the necessary care that they deserve and require.

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Susan Montoya, a writer for the Associated Press, provided information from Albuquerque, N.M. Salter, on the other hand, reported from O’Fallon, Mo.