WASHINGTON -- U.S. Senator Fred Thompson (R-TN), Chairman of the Senate Committee on Governmental Affairs, today issued the following statement regarding the U.S. Department of Energy’s proposal to compensate ill workers at nuclear weapons sites:

"The Department of Energy's proposal appears to be a step in the right direction. Last month, my Committee heard testimony from sick workers in Oak Ridge and in Piketon, Ohio. At that time, I urged DOE to expand their previous proposal to cover more workers and more illnesses. I also urged them not to set the bar so high that workers who have legitimate claims will not be able to receive assistance.

"I still want to see more details, but this proposal appears to move in that direction. I look forward to working with my colleagues in the Senate to improve it and pass it so that all those who are ill as a result of their service to their country can get the compensation they deserve."