Josh Hawley blasts GOP leaders after a measure compensating victims exposed to nuclear waste radiation was stripped from the latest defense bill: 'A betrayal'

• Josh Hawley is a cosponsor of a radiation compensation reauthorization measure on Capitol Hill.
• But the measure was recently dropped from the final version of the annual defense bill.
• And Hawley is pointing at Speaker Mike Johnson and Senate GOP Leader Mitch McConnell over the issue.

An expansion and reauthorization of the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act was overwhelmingly backed by the Senate in August, but the measure was stripped from the House version of the annual defense bill and wasn't included in the final bill.

And Republican Sen. Josh Hawley of Missouri, the measure's cosponsor and one of its biggest champions on Capitol Hill, is not taking the change lying down, calling out leaders of his party over the issue for what he says is a "betrayal" to the victims affected by radiation.