By Dan Modlin
Washington, D.C. – U-S Senator Jim Bunning is criticizing the Department of
Energy's handling of the sick worker program. The Republican
from Northern Kentucky says he is especially concerned about
workers from Paducah and other parts of the country, who have
suffered illnesses related to their work at nuclear power plants
during the cold war era.
Bunning has sponsored legislation which would move the sick
worker program from the Department of Energy to the Department
of Labor. He says the Department of Energy has been running the
program for the past four years, but only ten claims have been
processed during that time.
Bunning's legislation is attached to the Department of Defense
Authorization Bill, which is headed to Conference Committee
in Washington, D.C.