Sen. Chuck Grassley has received a commitment that the final rule on the Special Exposure Cohort that would help former workers of the Iowa Army Ammunition Plant will be released within a week. Grassley had called Office of Management and Budget Director, Josh Bolten, to express his concerns that a final rule had not been issued.
Grassley said this commitment is a positive step forward. "This is very important to Iowa because of the lack of medical records for workers' exposure to radiation at the Iowa Army Ammunition Plant," Grassley said. "After all this time, I would hope that we can finally move forward. The Director knows the importance of this rule. Now, because of our conversation he's asked his staff to expedite its consideration."
Grassley said that the Department of Health and Human Services first proposed the rule in June 2002. The rule received much criticism and was withdrawn. A second proposed rule was issued in March 2003. Since the comment period ended in May 2003, nothing has occurred.
Grassley wrote a letter to the Health and Human Services Secretary in February regarding the special exposure cohort. In his response, the Secretary stated that the rule was waiting for clearance from the Office of Management and Budget.
Grassley's call to Bolten stems from a recent report issued by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health which concluded that it may not be feasible to estimate workers' exposure to radiation with any accuracy. This would further delay compensation for valid claimants at the Iowa Army Ammunition Plant. The Energy Employees Illness Occupational Compensation Program, which was passed by Congress in 2000, gives these workers the opportunity to petition for special status and be immediately compensated. The Special Exposure Cohort rule will set forth the procedures for consideration of such petitions.