Many Americans who were exposed to radiation are not covered by current compensation law. This includes those downwind from the Los Alamos, N.M., Trinity test of the atomic bomb and those exposed to waste in St. Louis’ contaminated Coldwater Creek.

An amendment sponsored by Hawley and Sens. Eric Schmitt (R-Mo.), Ben Ray Lujan (D-N.M.) and Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) passed the Senate with a filibuster-proof majority earlier this year and was included in its version of the defense funding bill. 

However, the amendment was not part of the House’s version of the NDAA.

“If [the NDAA] emerges from a back room, and this provision is out, the defense bill is going to face tough sledding on the floor of the Senate,” Hawley told reporters on Capitol Hill Tuesday.

“I am not going to vote to pay defense contractors hand over fist while the people of my state—and, frankly, across the country—are denied the compensation that they’re due,” he added. 

Read more at TheHill.com.

Welcome to The Hill’s Energy & Environment newsletter, we’re Rachel Frazin and Zack Budryk — keeping you up to speed on the policies impacting everything from oil and gas to new supply chains.