Nota: mentre in Italia l'ANPA, Agenzia Nazionale di Protezione dell'Ambiente (?), si appella alla legge sulla privacy per non dire ai Vigili del Fuoco quali sono i siti pericolosi dove vi sono le ditte dove avvengono lavorazioni nucleari (almeno 600 in Italia, la maggior parte nel Nord), negli USA, dopo aver pubblicato la lista di tutti i siti civili, Stato per Stato, si continuano ad interrogare i lavoratori del settore per cercare di ricostruire la portata del DISASTRO. Questa è un'altra delle testimonianze davanti ad una commissione del Governo USA.

Ill workers at K-25 Site in Oak Ridge, TN., have been 5 years seeking help on health issues. Health problems consist of neurological, pulmonary, cardiac, gastrointestinal, as well as bone and muscular problems. Pain and suffering has overtaken our lives. Trust in the United States Government disintegrated until recently when Sec. Of Energy Bill Richardson assumed the Department and assigned a staff to handle the serious health issues. Sen. Fred Thompson and the Senate Committee on Governmental Affairs held a hearing in March of this year. A bill was unanimously voted on by the Senate to provide help to ill workers. It is not a perfect bill, but then, when can something so complicated as health issues for a secret work force, ever be perfect? It is, however, a good starting point, a good first step, and would help a lot of seriously ill people. Other illnesses, such as exposures to chemicals and toxic and hazardous wastes, could then be covered by a new bill, and should be top priority for Congressional leaders in their next session. To refuse the current bill is to kill the ill worker. Too much time has already passed. Serious illnesses and progressive diseases do not freeze in time…they simply proceed, usually at a rapid rate. Money should not be a concern. Congress constantly approves money for overseas projects from health to food to rebuilding war torn countries, but are hesitant to supply the health and food needs of America's silent hero's, the ill worker of the Government Nuclear Superfund Sites. Tests for such diseases as chronic beryllium disease cost thousands of dollars. Insurance doesn't want to pay these tests as they view these diseases as occupational. Due to disabilities, workers have lost their jobs which have resulted in lost wages, lost savings, and lost homes…all our life's work has gone up in a flash…a life that was dedicated to protecting this country, to guarantee the national defense and freedom that only the United States of America knows. Congress has a duty to do the right thing. This bill must be passed so that immediate help can be given to some people. A second bill must be drafted to cover those illnesses caused by other exposures such as chemicals, and toxic and hazardous wastes. This bill must also be passed rapidly so that other ill workers can be helped. Congress must take the focus off money, and place it on the people. A price cannot be placed on a human life, especially one that has been dedicated to serving this country so that all people can live free.

WRITTEN TESTIMONY OF ANN H. ORICK, ILL FORMER WORKER FROM K-25 SITE, OAK RIDGE, TENNESSEE

September 21, 2000

The Oak Ridge K-25 Site ill workers have been five (5) years this month in seeking help on health issues. These five years have been devastating as workers have become sicker, become inactive and disabled, resulting in lost jobs, lost wages, lost homes and lost lives. In seeking answers, we have discovered how our own American Government, in a race against time and other nations of the world to develop the atomic bomb, chose to keep secret the health hazards of the materials they were utilizing and the diseases and illnesses they were beginning to see their employees experience.

These past five years for us has been a nightmare of cruel and unusual punishment. We have been subjected to harassment, rude and harsh words and treatment by our own Government, but especially by the Government contractors who have managed the Oak Ridge Sites. Our trust in all parties totally dissolved as all attempts for a resolution failed before our eyes.

Five years, five long, hard years have passed and the pain and suffering have taken over the lives of the K-25 ill workers. We saw and heard from many who filled the shoes of top DOE officials and the office of Secretary of Energy, but none of these people ever followed through with or kept a promise until Bill Richardson took over the office as Energy Secretary, and we found him responding to our call with a personal visit to Oak Ridge. Within three months Assistant Secretary of Health Dr. David Michaels and staff were sent to Oak Ridge to continue discussions and hear each worker's personal plight. Talks lasted until the morning hours, and have sparked numerous follow-up meetings and discussions with Dr. Michaels and staff. Due to the fact that finally someone in the Government has been true to their word by honoring our requests for meetings while allowing us to be completely honest and outspoken on the issues, some trust has begin to be reformed by the ill workers. Most importantly, however, is the fact that DOE has publicly admitted to making workers sick and want the Government to right a serious wrong by compensating ill workers and assisting with medical help. In March of this year, the Senate Committee on Governmental Affairs, chaired by Senator Fred Thompson, held a hearing on the issues. Oak Ridge ill workers had pleaded for a hearing on the issues all five years, and we felt that finally we had reached the ending point. In a few short weeks, a bill was unanimously voted on by the Senate to give help to ill Government workers. Our spirits soared as we saw progress being made. It wasn't a perfect bill, but then, when can something so complicated as health issues for a secret work force, ever be perfect? It was to us a great starting place, and would mean help now for a lot of people. Other illnesses could be expanded upon and added or included in time as new legislation or amendments, and as information is made available. We can have immediate help for some, and help for others in the near future.

But what we are hearing is quite disturbing…….that the House of Representatives doesn't want this bill to be voted on, and this committee doesn't want to "Rush" into anything….they want to postpone the vote so they can take their time to look at all the options. Well, Gentlemen, I am here to tell you that after five years we don't feel like anything is being rushed into. To remove this bill from vote is equal to cutting the heart out of the Oak Ridge sick workers, and the trust that has been built up by the Secretary of Energy and his staff will self-destruct before your very eyes, as workers will never believe you have any intentions of looking further at any bill for aiding them. Five years in the life of a disabled worker is sufficient time in anybody's book for creating and executing a plan of action. Every day now lost is a day less in the life of America's silent hero's. Many of us do not have time left on this earth…..we need your action now…this week…this very day.

We also hear about the money itself. Some think it's too much, some think we don't deserve anything at all, some say "Let's make it harder for them to qualify". We've already given our life……how much harder can you make it? And the money….what kind of price can you put on a human life? How can we say any amount is "too much"? The proposed $200,000 would not cover over 2 or 3 visits to a major lung hospital like National Jewish in Denver. These tests needed for lung diseases are very expensive, and a victim of Chronic Beryllium Disease would find this money completely gone after only making these few visits….so if anything, it's not enough, but for the purpose of passage of a first bill with good intent and immediate help for some very sick workers, it is a good bill.

It's amazing how little thought we give to dollar amounts when it comes to other issues, such as the recent pay raise Congress voted for itself. No one questioned the money involved in the long run, which is forever, or even on a short term basis. Neither did anyone want to "take a longer look at the proposal' or take time to "be sure" it was the correct bill to be voted on…..everyone just went right ahead and voted for Congress to have a pay raise. Sick workers haven't had a pay raise in 5 years…..remember, most lost their jobs and wages, and are now on disability and have been reduced to minimum incomes. No homes, No jobs, No wages, No health….NO HELP. Too much time, too little respect!

Congress has a way of spending money and much of the time the American people are left confused as to why. We see our Congress over and over bailing out some nation overseas….for instance, just recently we read where the U.S. was funding a program on Aids in Africa. While this is an important issue, why did Congress rush to Africa, and leave the American worker out in the cold? Money didn't seem to be an issue here either….and there has been money squandered on such frivolous things as the man who has received Government grant money for years to work on the project "How fast ketchup runs" and what brand is slower. He has actually made his living on this money. Then there are the money spenders like rebuilding entire cities and countries after a war, whether we were involved in that war or not.

Then there is this recent article in a Sunday paper where House leaders were considering to follow up on a $1.3 Billion aid package designed to help Colombia's military combat the narcotics tract with $99.5 million more…a Representative saw a "possible need" for additional help when he "accompanied President Clinton to Columbia on August 31st for the symbolic delivery of the first package. Republican Rep. Hastert "went down there and saw a need"….I believe if he would come to Oak Ridge he could also see a need, and it wouldn't have cost half so much as this bill and package or the trip to South America did!

I could go on and on….but I should not have to do so. Too much money…take more time…? You have a bill before you…..not a perfect bill, but a decent one. You have the opportunity to make a decision which will impact thousands of lives. You have the opportunity to actually do what you have been elected to do….serve the American people. I came here today to plead with you to go ahead immediately and pass this bill. You will have successfully made a difference in the lives of a disabled American worker, and you can go home at the end of the day and feel proud of what you have done, and that's a pride that only an American knows and feels about his Country and his fellow man. We felt that pride when we went to work each day to protect this country and helped to guarantee the national defense and freedom that only the United States of America knows, but our pride faded as we suffered the losses and tragedies we've suffered these past five years. Our hearts grew heavy with an overwhelming sadness as our nations leaders and elected officials turned their backs on us, and the illnesses overtook our lives. Lost and forgotten, left to die, not from an external war, but from an internal peace, a peace that we the workers, made for you.

You have a duty to do the right thing. You hold the key to whether this nation's ill worker has a future. Please let this bill pass through Congress with all the support you can muster, then take your time off, and come back in full force and write a second bill which will encompass other areas of worker illness such as chemical exposures, and exposures to toxic hazardous wastes, so that other workers can be covered, and in that second bill, address such issues as these Superfund Sites, and do something about them. You can start with placing a padlock on each gate of these Sites until these health issues are resolved. By doing so you will protect other workers and innocent people from becoming sick as we have.

You must take the focus off the money and place it on the people. You cannot put a price on a human life, especially one that's been as dedicated as ours have been. You must remember that each passing day is a day closer to death for most of these workers. You must act now, we have no time to wait.

Gentlemen, without a major surgical intervention which may or may not work, I am going to die soon. My stomach cavity has closed and I have no opening for my food to pass through. Doctors are surprised that I have lived this long. I have already had one major surgery for this problem. Doctors say my stomach looks like someone who has received radiation treatments for cancer, all burned, scarred up and ruined. It is most likely I got this dose of radiation while working at the K-25 Superfund Site. I have had 6 breast tumors. My eyes are affected…I have peripheral vision loss, cataracts, and glaucoma. My balance is severely affected. I walk with a cane and wear a brace on my right foot which has dropped 2" and causes me to fall. I have severe migraine headaches, and upon leaving the site in 1996 I had a severe rash (shown in these photographs) which took months to clear up. I have vocal chord dysfunction, shortness of breath, rapid heart rate, and other problems.

My husband, who worked 27 years at the site, suffers from chronic beryllium disease as well as peripheral neuropathy and chemical neuropathy, which means he has damaged nerves from his brain into his right arm and leg from frontal/subcortial brain dysfunction and including some brain lesions, severe headaches, vocal chord dysfunction, and reactive airway disease. Many workers have these same illnesses. Oak Ridge, Tennessee deserves better. We burn hazardous waste and toxic materials on site in an incinerator from all other nuclear and superfund sites across this country, and it is admitted that no monitors are in existence to detect what is being emitted out of that stack.

We were the major site for the development of the bomb. That bomb was dropped and it destroyed a nation and its people. We have worked all these years in those same materials that was experimented with and used to make this bomb…..literally tons of it. We have gotten sick.

Please do what is right. Please sign this bill that the Senate and the Secretary of Energy and his staff, and the White House, support, and have worked so hard to produce. It is a good bill. It is a good first step….a good starting point. We need relief for as many workers as we can get, and we need it now. You are the deciding factor. You hold the lives of many people in your hands. Can you honestly turn away and reject us now. Please act today. Please come back from your recess and begin to work on a bill that would include those harmed by the chemicals and toxic wastes. We deserve a chance to live as much as anyone does.

Thank you for your time and the opportunity to represent the ill workers. I have done my best to convince you. I pray I did not fail.

Ann H. Orick

442 Fox Road

Knoxville, TN 37922