JEFFERSON CITY 鈥 U.S. Sen. Josh Hawley scored a big victory Thursday when the U.S. Senate signed off on legislation that would compensate 狐狸视频ans exposed to radioactive contamination.
But U.S. Rep. Ann Wagner, R-Town and Country, appeared to dump cold water on the win, that expansion of the 1990 Radiation Exposure Compensation Act needed to have a 鈥渓egit pay-for.鈥
鈥淲e鈥檙e not looking to raise our debts and deficits any further than they already are,鈥 Wagner said.
Hawley then took to X, the social media site formerly known as Twitter, posting a screenshot of Wagner鈥檚 quote.
鈥淪hameful for Ann Wagner to turn her back on her constituents 鈥 after doing nothing on this issue for years. 狐狸视频 deserves better than this,鈥 Hawley posted.
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鈥淩ECA passes the Senate with a massive bipartisan vote 鈥 and Ann Wagner immediately attacks it? Whose side is she on? Not Missouri鈥檚,鈥 Hawley said.
Hawley continued to vent later Thursday, reposting a picture of Wagner and Ukrainian President Volodymr Zelensky. Wagner expressed support for Ukrainians in Russia鈥檚 鈥渁bsolutely unjust war.鈥
鈥淣ow do Missouri,鈥 Hawley said.
Wagner responded in a statement Thursday night.
鈥淔or my first ten years in Congress when I represented West Lake (the landfill in Bridgeton), I worked tirelessly with Senator (Roy) Blunt and advocates like Dawn Chapman to fight for West Lake residents,鈥 she said.
鈥淚t was a team effort from Just Moms STL, Senator Blunt, Donald Trump鈥檚 EPA and myself that we finally got the Record of Decision from the EPA, a final decision that had been in the works for decades and that President Trump got across the finish line.
鈥淚n the 118th Congress, I am proud to be working with advocates once again to ensure those affected by our nation鈥檚 World War II nuclear program have the support they need. I am extremely supportive of the RECA program and I am confident the House Judiciary Committee will work through this legislation in regular order once it is sent over from the Senate.鈥
But Chapman, co-founder of Just Moms STL, said Friday afternoon that if the measure goes through committee, instead of directly to a vote on the House floor, proponents do not believe there will be enough time to renew the RECA program before its June expiration.
鈥淲e still think that if she were to talk to the speaker and ask him to put it for a floor vote ... I actually think she could save this program,鈥 Chapman said.
Earlier Friday, Chapman responded on X to Wagner鈥檚 quote in the Star: 鈥淭he Moms woke up PISSED this morning! 狐狸视频 and St. Charles doesn鈥檛 have time for stalls! The process we want used was just used to fund BILLIONS of dollars for foreign aid without a pay-for or hearings! We have fought for 11 years and we are not letting RECA die!鈥
Hawley and Wagner have a history. Wagner in July 2017 said she wouldn鈥檛 run against then-Sen. Claire McCaskill in 2018.
The GOP field was then free of a major contender, and Hawley filled the void. Many believed Wagner passed on the race after she acknowledged Hawley as the party favorite, Politico .
Politico鈥檚 May 2018 article went on to say Wagner had received two voicemails from Hawley since July 2017, but that they hadn鈥檛 spoken, according to two people familiar with the matter.
狐狸视频 political consultant John Hancock told the Star in a February 2018 article that Wagner had been approached about running for Senate.
Hawley鈥檚 statement that 鈥満晔悠 deserves better than this鈥 was highlighted by at least one other Republican.
鈥淲hat鈥檚 more important to the people of Missouri: protecting us from nuclear waste the federal government put in our backyard OR wining and dining with the president of Ukraine?鈥 state Sen. Nick Schroer, R-Defiance, posted on X Thursday night. 鈥淭he health and welfare of Missourians must be a priority for our congressional delegation.鈥
Schroer had been considering a run for the 3rd Congressional District. But Defiance is located in Wagner鈥檚 2nd, which she has represented since 2013.
Rep. Tricia Brynes, R-Wentzville, also was critical Friday of Wagner鈥檚 statement. 鈥淯s cancer moms should NOT have been asked to prove nuclear bomb waste kills people. NOW this nonsense! Moms shouldn鈥檛 have to host bake sales to pay the DOE鈥檚 bill for death caused by their NUCLEAR BOMBS! PS come get your bomb-grade Uranium out of our MO creeks and lakes.鈥
Updated at 1:19 p.m.