Hawley announces $5 billion for St. Louis radiation victims in 'Big Beautiful Bill'

Missouri Senator Josh Hawley announced a long-sought compensation for St. Louis-area residents exposed to nuclear radiation during the Manhattan Project will be included in the “Big Beautiful Bill.”

The bill allocates $5 billion to initiate the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act (RECA) program, which Hawley has been advocating for years.

Hawley emphasized the federal government’s role in the issue, stating, “I hope I don’t need to remind anybody on this call that all of this is caused by the federal government’s negligence in its testing program and its disposal program.”

Despite the inclusion of RECA in the bill, Hawley remains critical of the Medicaid changes proposed by the House.

“I am in hourly contact with leadership in negotiations on this, and none of that’s gonna change,” he said.

During a recent press call, reporters questioned Hawley about the potential for U.S. military involvement following Israel’s attack on Iran.

Hawley responded, “I can’t imagine a world in which that happens. I’d be opposed to that. The President is adamantly opposed to that.”

The call also addressed Missouri Governor Mike Kehoe’s decision to deploy the National Guard ahead of anticipated protests against ICE raids.

Hawley expressed his support for the governor’s actions, saying, “I absolutely trust the governor here to keep Missourians safe.”

However, Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas and other critics have labeled the activation of the Guard as an overreaction that could incite violence rather than prevent it.