Bill would ease payments to Rocketdyne workers

A bill recently introduced in the House of Representatives would ease payments to former Rocketdyne workers who became ill due to their work at the Santa Susana Field Laboratory.

Under the Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation Program Act, benefits are supposed to be paid automatically to workers who received onthejob radiation exposure for at least one year and developed a covered cancer at least five years later. Some atomic workers have developed covered cancers but, according to Department of Energy records, they were not exposed to radiation.

The bill would provide for automatic benefits for any person who worked at the laboratory for 250 days and who developed a disease that is known to be a result of exposure to radiation or other toxins before Jan. 1, 2006.

The bill was introduced by U.S. Rep. Elton Gallegly (RThousand Oaks).