Date Published: 12/21/2019 [Source]
Four more U.S. senators and a congressman this week joined the drumbeat of federal lawmakers calling for radon protections in public housing following a yearlong investigation by The Oregonian/OregonLive.
"It's very concerning," Rep. Jim McGovern, D-Massachusetts, said of the newsroom's investigation during an interview Friday. "Radon is a serious issue that ought to be given the attention it deserves."
"I am very concerned about the reports of radon exposure at public housing facilities," Sen. Bob Casey, D-Pennsylvania, said in a statement. "I will be looking at ways to address this issue and encouraging HUD to investigate these reports and require radon tests at public housing facilities that receive federal funding."
A total of 11 U.S. lawmakers are now on record demanding action in response to "Cancer Cloud," a newsroom investigation that exposed the failure of many housing authorities across the country to test apartments and homes for radon. The gas is estimated to kill 21,000 Americans annually and is the second-leading cause of lung cancer.