The video captures a compelling gathering where advocates from across the nation, including notable figures from Missouri, converge to address the urgent need for legislative action on a bill relating to the government's nuclear radiation program. These advocates, many of whom have endured significant personal costs such as cancer treatments, exemplify both the suffering and heroism that the program has caused across the country. The speaker emphasizes the dedication and sacrifice of these individuals and calls on the government to honor their commitment by passing necessary legislation.

The video is significant for its focus on bipartisan efforts to push through vital legislation that has stalled in the House despite having passed the Senate with a significant majority. The speaker underscores the urgency by highlighting the House's inaction since the program's expiration, despite having the required votes to proceed. The call to action is clear: the House must put the bill on the floor to deliver justice to those affected.

Main takeaways from the video:

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Key Vocabularies and Common Phrases:

1. bipartisan [ˌbaɪˈpɑːrtɪzən] - (adjective) - Involving two political parties, usually from differing viewpoints, working together. - Synonyms: (cross-party, two-party, cooperative)

Since the Senate passed, by an overwhelming bipartisan vote, passed our bipartisan bill.

2. advocates [ˈædvəkəts] - (noun) - People who publicly support or recommend a particular cause or policy. - Synonyms: (supporters, champions, promoters)

Welcome the advocates who are here from literally around the country.

3. heroism [ˈhɛroʊˌɪzəm] - (noun) - Great bravery or courage, particularly in the face of danger or adversity. - Synonyms: (bravery, courage, valor)

These are folks who represent the heroism of this country.

4. legislative [ˈlɛdʒɪsˌleɪtɪv] - (adjective) - Related to laws or the process of making laws. - Synonyms: (law-making, legal, statutory)

The urgent need for legislative action on a bill relating to the government's nuclear radiation program.

5. iteration [ˌɪtəˈreɪʃən] - (noun) - The repetition of a process or version of something. - Synonyms: (repetition, version, cycle)

The newest iteration of the bill is the one that passed the Senate.

6. comprehensive [ˌkɑːmprɪˈhɛnsɪv] - (adjective) - Complete and including everything that is necessary. - Synonyms: (all-inclusive, complete, thorough)

It is a comprehensive bill.

7. suspend [səˈspɛnd] - (verb) - To temporarily halt or cancel something. - Synonyms: (pause, defer, interrupt)

We could pass it on suspension.

8. resolution [ˌrɛzəˈluːʃən] - (noun) - A firm decision to do or not to do something. - Synonyms: (decision, determination, resolve)

I hope now that we can reach a resolution and reach it.

9. judgment [ˈdʒʌdʒmənt] - (noun) - The ability to make considered decisions or come to sensible conclusions. - Synonyms: (decision, discernment, conclusion)

He'll have to make a judgment about when he'll put something on the floor.

10. nuclear radiation [ˈnjuːkliər ˈreɪdiˌeɪʃən] - (noun) - The emission of energy as electromagnetic waves or as moving subatomic particles. - Synonyms: (radioactivity, radioactive decay, emissions)

Because of the government's nuclear radiation program.

Hawley Rallies With Congressional Leaders & Radiation Advocates From Across America - Pass RECA Now

Welcome the advocates who are here from literally around the country. Standing absolutely right here, you know, standing just immediately to my right, to your left are advocates from my home state of Missouri, from the St. Louis region. And one of them was just telling me, Don Chapman was just telling me that right here. I think it's important for us to understand this. Right here represented in the room are people who have driven 37 hours to be here today. 37 hours. And they just had cancer treatments before they came here. So these are folks who represent. Here in the room today are folks who represent the suffering of this country, all across this country because of the government's nuclear radiation program, but also who represent the heroism of this country. These are folks who have stood for this country, who have sacrificed for this country, who have given to this country, and now it is time to honor them and to honor their sacrifice.

So I will just say this as I have the privilege of introducing the president of the navajo nation, Doctor Nigrin. But let me just say this. Since the Senate passed, by an overwhelming bipartisan vote, passed our bipartisan bill with Senator Lujan and myself and others, since we passed that bill, the House has allowed this program to expire. And since that happened in June, do you know that the House has been on vacation approximately 80 days? Let me just say that again. Since June, when this program was allowed to expire, the House has been on vacation for 80 days. We've got House members here today who have been pushing, who have been fighting, who have been advocating, and now it is time for the House to act. And I want to introduce. I want to. You're going to hear from those House members, and you're going to hear, most importantly, from the advocates who are here today.

And I just want to thank at the top, thank you to Senator Lujan. Thank you to Senator Heinrich. I know Senator Heinrich is right behind me. Senator Heinrich has been a leader on this effort. It's the Lujan Heinrich Hawley Bill that we were able to get through, and it is time for the House to pass it. Let me introduce now, without any further delay, the president of the navajo nation, Doctor Nigran. We have a number of other advocates who need to speak, who've traveled long ways, including Don Chapman from Missouri. So here's what we're going to do. I'm going to let Don say a few words, and then we're going to answer your questions, and then we're going to allow. We're going to open the microphone and allow Fred and others who are here who want to tell their stories, to tell their stories.

So, Don, if you would come to the microphone, and then we will answer your questions. Members of the press, we're happy to do that. And then I want to allow every advocate who wants to speak the opportunity to speak. Members of the press, we're happy now to take your questions. And when that's over again, I want to emphasize we're going to open the microphone to Fred and then to every. Every advocate who is here, who has traveled innumerable miles together, who know if we added all up the miles in this room, thousands and thousands of thousands that you've traveled, we want to open this microphone up to anybody who wants to speak and to tell your story.

Can we answer, members of the press. But we still have members of Congress here. Can we answer your questions? I. Just. As you're thinking of them, let me just say this. The wait has been too long, and it has been too cruel, and there is no need to wait any longer. The Senate is proof that we can pass this bill. We passed it with nearly 70 votes. And we have the votes in the House. We have the votes. We've counted them. We have them. We have a majority. We could pass it on suspension. This could pass in the House. We need the House to put this bill on the floor.

We're happy to answer your questions. The newest iteration of the bill is the one that passed the Senate by a huge bipartisan margin. It's my bill with Senator Heinrich, Senator Lujan. Almost 70 votes in the United States Senate. And listen, I've seen various news reports about my conversations with Speaker Johnson. I'll just thank Speaker Johnson for being very involved personally the last few weeks. He and I have had a number of very productive conversations. Now, to my knowledge, he hasn't committed to anything. However, he hasn't committed to putting anything on the floor. That's what we need to see.

Yes, sir. Listen, I think the question is about costs here. A couple of things. Number one, the cost has already been paid. It's been paid by the people in this room. You want to talk about the cost of chemotherapy, the cost of cancer, the cost of lost loved ones, the cost of burials, the cost of funerals. It has been paid by the people in this room. So the United States government owes a debt to the people in this room. That's what it's about. It's about discharging that debt. That's the truth, number one.

Number two, there are numerous ways, and we have proposed them on a bipartisan basis to reduce the cost, including a spending cap, which is, I think, a fair proposal that many in this room are willing to consider. And I would just say that there is cost should be no barrier. There are numerous ways to get this done. I've had good conversations with the speaker about this. I want to emphasize, I thank him for his engagement, and I hope now that we can reach a resolution and reach it. Reach it very, very soon.

Yes, ma'am. You said that the speaker is not committed to anything. Not to me. Not to me. No, not to me. You guys can just shout him out. You're being really polite. Go ahead. Yeah, go ahead. Yeah. Can you talk a little bit about what numbers are being thrown around at any. Listen, I will leave that to the speaker, because at the end of the day, this is really a judgment that the speaker has to make about what he's going to put on the floor. I want to emphasize again, the votes are there in the house, not just a majority.

I believe a two thirds supermajority. I just remind my republican colleagues, respectfully, I just remind them that if you go and look at a map and you look at the expansion that this bill would achieve, the justice this bill would achieve. Most of the districts are actually republican districts. So I don't really want to hear any more fussing from Republicans on the House about this bill. They benefit from it. Their people benefit from it. This should not be a partisan political issue. So my message is to the House, listen, you tell us the number that you want in order to pass this thing, but pass this thing. Let's not delay any longer. Let's not delay any longer, for heaven's sake.

Other, other questions. Well, listen, the Senate has passed this not once, but twice. And in fact, we first passed the first iteration of my bill with Senator Luhan, Senator Heinrich. We passed it over a year ago. We passed it in July 2023. And as I look across tonight in this room this afternoon, many of the people who are here now stood with us in July 2023 when we passed this bill. So it's been. The wait has been long. It has been long. And my point is, the Senate has done what the Senate can do. I mean, listen, to get the United States Senate to pass anything with 70 votes is like a miracle.

I mean, really, we couldn't pass a resolution of vanilla ice cream with 70 votes, and yet 70 votes. bipartisan. bipartisan. The leadership of both parties came together to vote for this bill. I mean, it's extraordinary. So my message to the House is it can be done if we can do it in the Senate.

You can do it, number one. Number two, we've got the votes in the House. So again, I thank the speaker for his engagement. I thank him for getting personally involved in this. I have appreciated it. I know that people here in the room have appreciated it. And he'll have to make a judgment about when he'll put something on the floor. I just. I hope it's very soon.

You know, I can't speak to that, but it's a good question to ask him. It's a good question to ask him. Yes, ma'am. Katherine, is there anything in the works for longer term? Well, listen, I think that this is the solution that we have offered. The bipartisan bill that we have written is the solution here.

Long term. I mean, this is. And listen, I want to say this. There will no doubt be, as there has been since 1990. What's happened since 1990 is we found that the government's nuclear program was broader than we thought. We found the radiation was broader than we thought, and we learned that communities that should have been included the first time never were. So there will doubtless be in the future. As we learn more, we'll probably find that, oh, there was more nuclear waste disposed of or improperly disposed of than we thought. But my point is this bill is a, it's a strong bill. It is a comprehensive bill. And, you know, there's no need to wait for something else. It's passed the Senate twice. Let's get this done.

Politics, Inspiration, Leadership, Missouri, Nuclear Radiation, Health Advocacy, Senator Josh Hawley