September 20, 2012 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S6525 

hope we can have more to report on 

that tomorrow. It appears at this stage 

there is no agreement on having any 

votes tomorrow, so we may have to finish our work tomorrow, beginning tomorrow night, very late. 

I suggest the absence of a quorum. 

The PRESIDING OFFICER. The 

clerk will call the roll. 

The assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll. 

Mr. MERKLEY. Madam President, I 

ask unanimous consent the order for 

the quorum call be rescinded. 

The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without 

objection, it is so ordered. 

f 

MORNING BUSINESS 

Mr. MERKLEY. Madam President, I 

ask unanimous consent the Senate proceed to a period of morning business 

with Senators permitted to speak 

therein for up to 10 minutes each. 

The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without 

objection, it is so ordered. 

f 

RECOGNIZING THE END OF 

NUCLEAR TESTING 

Mr. REID. Mr. President, it has been 

20 years since our Nation’s final nuclear weapons test. ‘‘Divider’’ was the 

name appropriately given to the final 

test on September 23, 1992; 8 days later, 

President George Bush, Sr., declared a 

moratorium on testing that is still in 

place today. That last test, along with 

nearly 1,000 others, was carried out at 

the Nevada National Security Site, formerly known as the Nevada Test Site. 

This site has a storied history; it was 

used intensively during the Cold War 

to test nuclear weapons in our fight 

against tyranny and is remembered by 

all Americans for the iconic images the 

atomic bomb continues to invoke. 

Testing weapons and building our nuclear arsenal was necessary, but there 

was a price to pay—and it was the 

health of our hard-working and patriotic Cold War veterans and the many 

people who lived downwind of the test 

site. 

Since January 11, 1951, hundreds of 

thousands of men and women—including miners, millers, and haulers— 

played a critical role in building the 

nuclear deterrent that kept our Nation 

secure during the Cold War and still 

contributes to our national security 

today. These American heroes were on 

the front line of our national security. 

They served valiantly to help our Nation defend itself, but their personal 

sacrifice was immense. While serving 

their country honorably during one of 

the most dangerous conflicts in our Nation’s history, many of Nevada’s Cold 

War veterans sacrificed their health 

and well-being for their country. 

After personally meeting with and 

listening to many unfortunate stories 

from brave Nevadans about illnesses 

they had gotten from their nuclear 

weapons work, I was pleased to help 

pass the bipartisan Energy Employees 

Occupational Illness Compensation 

Program Act in 2000, as well as an expansion of the law in 2004. This important program provides vital monetary 

compensation and medical coverage to 

Nevada’s test site workers suffering 

from radiation-induced cancers, beryllium disease, silicosis, and other illnesses caused by toxic chemicals. 

In 2005, I began to hear from workers 

and survivors saying that they were 

being put through a seemingly endless 

stream of bureaucratic redtape only to 

be denied compensation in the end. I 

was enraged that workers who had developed cancer while protecting our 

Nation were being denied compensation 

simply because their employer failed to 

keep accurate records of each worker’s 

radiation exposure. 

While we succeeded in securing automatic compensation for workers during 

the atmospheric testing years, those 

who served their Nation during the underground testing years were let down 

by their country. I fought on their behalf and finally secured automatic 

compensation for thousands of workers 

during the underground testing years. I 

am proud that this important program 

resulted in the payment of almost $500 

million to 4,599 sick test site workers 

and their survivors. Nevada’s Cold War 

heroes have made immeasurable contributions to our Nation’s security, and 

the sacrifices they have made—to their 

health and their lives—make it impossible for us to ever adequately thank 

them. 

Today, the Nevada National Security 

Site has taken on new roles to address 

21st-century threats. This includes detecting dangerous weapons, treaty verification, fighting terrorism and nuclear smuggling, and training first responders. The site can even play a role 

in clean energy demonstration and development to meet our Nation’s energy 

needs using a resource southern Nevada has an abundance of—sunshine. I 

am also proud of the growing nonproliferation mission at the Nevada 

National Security Site. These critical 

activities are playing a vital role in the 

Nation’s arms control efforts while 

putting Nevadans to work making our 

Nation more secure. 

There are many more opportunities 

to utilize the Nevada National Security 

Site’s ultrasecure location to bolster 

out Nation’s security. It is an installation whose relevance is timeless because we will always need a place to 

test new technologies, house sensitive 

materials and equipment, train our security forces, and know for sure that 

unwanted eyes are not watching. 

Finally, I am proud that while we 

work to grow and modernize the mission of the Nevada National Security 

Site, the site’s storied past and the 

people behind it will never be forgotten. The National Atomic Testing Museum in Las Vegas is an affiliate of the 

Smithsonian Institution and recently 

was named by Congress as a ‘‘National’’ museum. This important institution collects and publicly displays 

artifacts and documentation that tell 

the stories of how the Nevada Test Site 

helped protect our country during the 

Cold War. 

I am proud to stand here today to 

recognize this historic day in Nevada 

and America’s history, marking 20 

years since we have ended nuclear testing. 

f 

TRIBUTE TO DENNIS MEYERS 

Mr. MCCONNELL. Mr. President, I 

rise today to pay tribute to a man that 

will leave a legacy of firm economic 

performance, solid physician recruitment, and a commitment to nurture 

community partnerships in the hospitals of his area. Mr. Dennis Meyers of 

Clay County, KY, was named to the 

Clay County Days Wall of Fame in August 2012 for the amazing work he has 

accomplished in his community and 

the community’s hospital, Manchester 

Memorial Hospital. 

Dennis Meyers’s spectacular working 

experience began as a pastor in 1969 in 

Nebraska and Illinois. In 1986, he decided on a change of career. He accepted a job as a registered nurse at Hanford Hospital. After 4 successful years, 

Dennis transferred to San Joaquin 

Community Hospital to fill the position of vice president. Dennis never 

stopped dreaming and believing. He 

continued his career to become chief 

operating officer and vice president of 

Manchester Memorial Hospital. 

Dennis initiated numerous community-outreach programs, each serving 

as evidence to show the worth of this 

man and the dedication he displayed 

towards his community. Dennis introduced Mission in Motion, public health 

screenings, Live It Up!, and missionoutreach programs to enrich the Clay 

County community. 

Dennis married Susan Meyers, who 

also works for the hospital. They have 

three children, who, like their father, 

hold nursing degrees. Dennis urges that 

success come to everyone in life. He 

strategizes on helping the community 

that is served by the hospital through 

Community Outreach and church programs. 

At this time, I would like to ask my 

colleagues in the U.S. Senate to join 

me in honoring Mr. Dennis Meyers as 

he has been named to the Clay County 

Days Wall of Fame. His ambition and 

hard work ethic has improved and will 

continue to improve the Commonwealth of Kentucky. 

A news story highlighting the accomplishments of Dennis Meyer was recently published in the Manchester Enterprise. I ask unanimous consent that 

said story be printed in the RECORD. 

There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in the 

RECORD, as follows: 

[From the Manchester Enterprise, August 30, 

2012] 

DENNIS MEYERS LED MANCHESTER MEMORIAL

TO GROWTH

Clay County Days Hall of Fame inductee 

Dennis Meyers retired from the lead role at 

Manchester Memorial Hospital recently 

after 12 years in the position. 


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