Washington, D.C
House leaves Washington without approving radiation exposure compensation act
With the House not set to return to Washington until next week, the clock has run out on time to extend and expand the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act.
“It is sitting in the House, the House needs to act,” said Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., in an interview with Spectrum News. “If the House doesn’t act, it’s going to be on the House. They’re going to have to explain to the American people why they don’t want to help our veterans, they don’t want to help folks exposed to radiation — they’re going to deny compensation to people who are dependent on it all their lives. I mean, this is crazy.”
Hawley, who has been leading the charge for RECA expansion in the Senate alongside Sen. Ben Ray Luján, D-N.M., has expressed frustration over recent weeks by the lack of commitment from House leadership to bring up the bill for a vote, considering it passed the Senate by an overwhelming bipartisan measure not once, but twice.
Under the proposed RECA expansion, coverage would be included for uranium miners and individuals who were “downwinders” from the testing and mining sites, including New Mexico, Idaho, Montana, Guam, Colorado, Tennessee, Kentucky and Alaska. In Missouri, it would cover people tied to almost two dozen ZIP codes who may have been sickened by contamination from uranium enrichment in the St. Louis dating back to the Manhattan Project. The bill would cost $50 billion over five years and add as many as 600,000 new claimants.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers confirmed Wednesday that work to remediate a small portion of a contaminated waterway where nuclear waste was dumped in North St. Louis County resulted in removing more than 7,000 cubic yards of soil–enough to fill eight Olympic-sized swimming pools. The entire Coldwater Creek corridor may not be fully remediated until the late 2030s.
According to the Department of Justice, which facilitates the claim program, the 1992 law has helped over 41,000 individuals access approximately $2.6 billion in funds to help pay for their medical bills for treating cancer and other illnesses traced to exposure to radiation waste.
Claims need to be postmarked by June 10 to be considered to receive compensation.
“If you’ve been poisoned by the federal government, if the government has exposed you to nuclear radiation, and that is so many people in Missouri, the government ought to make it right. They ought to help at the least with your medical bills — pay em. And that’s what my bill would do,” said Hawley.
“The state of Missouri has been lied to for 50 and 60 years. They’ve told us — the federal government — there was no radiation exposure in Missouri. That was a lie. They said it’s all cleaned up. That was a lie. They said we couldn’t get sick because of it. That was a lie. Now our schools are closed, we’ve got the highest rates of breast cancer in the nation, some of the highest rates of childhood cancers and other diseases associated with radiation. This needs to be fixed. It should have been fixed 50 years ago.”
“We shouldn’t have to beg for people to be taken care of because they were exposed to radioactive waste,” Rep. Cori Bush, D-Mo. said bluntly Wednesday. “World War II is still killing people right now.”
Bush and other advocates are claiming a small victory in that a bill that would have only extended the existing program did not make it to the floor. They believe an extension would have killed momentum for expansion.
But past experience with other pieces of legislation may not back that theory up.
“History has shown that there’s been a number of things, such as the assault weapons ban and, others — such as the Patriot Act — that become much more difficult to reauthorize if you don’t give them the automatic extension,” said Todd Belt, a professor and Political Management program director at the George Washington University,
“Generally, when the government has done something that has caused harm to people, you think of the burn pits legislation that was recently passed, you usually get real big bipartisan support for it. So it’s somewhat unusual that you would see some recalcitrance from the House to move on this Senate bill.”
Advocates for expansion traveled to a political event featuring House Speaker Mike Johnson in Peoria, Illinois last weekend hoping to land a meeting in Washington this week. Once it became clear that no legislation was going to move in time to beat Friday’s deadline, those plans changed and they will instead be back at the Capitol next week.
Johnson’s staff did not respond to new questions about the possibility of a vote on the expansion bill this week.
Hawley said the fight is far from over.
“If it takes as long as I’m in the Senate, I will not stop until this is made right.”
Spectrum News’ Angi Gonzalez contributed to this report.
Washington, D.C
Chicago woman testifies about being dragged out of car, detained by federal agents in viral video
Wednesday, December 10, 2025 2:09AM
Chicago woman Dayanne Figueroa testified in Washington, DC about being dragged out of a car by federal agents in a viral YouTube video.
CHICAGO (WLS) — A Chicago woman, who is a U.S. citizen, testified in Washington, D.C. on Tuesday about her experience being dragged out of her car and taken into custody by federal agents.
Dayanne Figueroa told a group of senators that on Oct. 10, she had just dropped off her son at school when an SUV rammed into hers.
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Once she was stopped, she says masked men dragged her out of her car.
A video posted on YouTube that has been seen more than 42,000 times shows what happened.
Figueroa was one of five U.S. citizens who testified.
Figueroa said she suffered severe bruising, nerve damage and aggravated injuries to her leg.
Copyright © 2025 WLS-TV. All Rights Reserved.
Washington, D.C
Global star Khalid heads to DC for ‘It’s Always Summer Somewhere’ tour
WASHINGTON (7News) — Grammy-nominated singer Khalid will stop in the Nation’s Capital for his “It’s Always Summer Somewhere” tour.
The North-American tour has 25 dates at cities across the U.S. and Canada. Khalid will perform with special guest Lauv at MGM Music Hall at The Anthem in D.C. on May 31, 2026.
SEE ALSO | Most shocking snubs and surprises from the 2026 Golden Globe nominations
Khalid is mainly known for his global 2017 hits “Location” and Young Dumb & Broke.” He has been nominated for seven Grammys, including “Best New Artist” in 2018.
The full list of tour stops are:
- Sat May 16 – Las Vegas, NV – PH Live at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino
- Mon May 18 – Morrison, CO – Red Rocks Amphitheatre
- Wed May 20 – Chicago, IL – Huntington Bank Pavilion at Northerly Island
- Thu May 21 – Sterling Heights, MI – Michigan Lottery Amphitheatre
- Sat May 23 – Hershey, PA – GIANT Center
- Sun May 24 – Toronto, ON – RBC Amphitheatre
- Tue May 26 – Laval, QC – Place Bell
- Thu May 28 – Bridgeport, CT – Hartford HealthCare Amphitheater
- Fri May 29 – Boston, MA – MGM Music Hall at Fenway
- Sun May 31 – Washington, DC – The Anthem
- Wed Jun 03 – Nashville, TN – Nashville Municipal Auditorium
- Thu Jun 04 – Atlanta, GA – Synovus Bank Amphitheatre at Chastain Park
- Sat Jun 06 – Raleigh, NC – Red Hat Amphitheater
- Sun Jun 07 – Philadelphia, PA – Skyline Stage at Highmark Mann
- Tue Jun 09 – Portsmouth, VA – Portsmouth Pavilion
- Wed Jun 10 – Richmond, VA – Allianz Amphitheater at Riverfront
- Fri Jun 12 – New York, NY – Radio City Music Hall
- Mon Jun 15 – Charlotte, NC – Skyla Credit Union Amphitheatre
- Wed Jun 17 – Irving, TX – The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory
- Thu Jun 18 – Houston, TX – 713 Music Hall
- Fri Jun 19 – Austin, TX – Moody Amphitheater
- Sun Jun 21 – Phoenix, AZ – Arizona Financial Theatre
- Mon Jun 22 – San Diego, CA – Cal Coast Credit Union Open Air Theatre
- Wed Jun 24 – Los Angeles, CA – Greek Theatre
- Fri Jun 26 – Berkeley, CA – Greek Theatre
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Presale opens Dec. 10 at 10 a.m. General sale begins Dec. 12 at 10 a.m. on Khalid’s website.
Washington, D.C
Who will lead DC police? Search for new chief begins – WTOP News
The D.C. police department is once again searching for a new chief who will lead the department following Pamela Smith’s departure.
About two years after Pamela Smith was approved to lead officers on a permanent basis, the D.C. police department is once again searching for a new chief.
Smith said Monday that she will step away from her position at the end of the year, calling it a personal decision she talked over with family.
D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser spoke about Smith’s resignation during a news conference Monday.
“I’ve been around long enough to know and to have lived through transitions,” Bowser said. “There are ways to approach this period of time and do it in a way that’s going to be most beneficial to D.C. residents. I’m going to marinate on it a little bit, and I’ll appoint the right, perfect person.”
Bowser will nominate the department’s next chief. The next permanent police chief will also need to earn the approval of the D.C. Council.
Smith’s resignation isn’t the only shake-up in D.C.’s leadership.
The mayor recently announced that she won’t seek reelection for a fourth term. With about a year left on the job, a reporter asked Bowser about the “challenges” associated with searching for a new chief as she prepares to exit office.
“I don’t call it a challenge,” Bowser said. “Because of the very deep bench we have and because of the great reputation of our department.”
Bowser said she will look internally for a new chief but would be open to nominating an external candidate.
“I’m obviously going to start first with the best police department in the nation,” Bowser said.
At the time Smith took over as chief in 2023, D.C. was at the peak of a crime wave.
Under her leadership, rates of crime have fallen. According to data provided by D.C. police, overall crime dropped 18% in 2025. Homicides are down 30% this year.
What should Bowser be looking for? Groups weigh in
The D.C. Police Union called on Bowser to collaborate with its members in the search for a new permanent chief.
“The ideal candidate must demonstrate proven leadership qualities that prioritize respect for the rank-and-file officers, foster trust within our communities, and commit to reforming broken policies lingering from the misguided ‘defund the police’ era, which resulted in laws and regulations that have undermined effective policing and officer morale,” the union wrote in a news release Monday morning.
Congressman Oye Owolewa, who represents the District in the U.S. House, said there’s an opportunity presented by the change in leadership. He also will not be seeking reelection as D.C.’s shadow representative in 2026.
“As we look ahead, it is my hope that this transition presents an opportunity to continue strengthening trust between law enforcement and the communities they serve, while advancing policies rooted in accountability, transparency, and true public safety for all,” Owolewa wrote in a statement.
Looking ahead, Bethany Young, policy director with D.C. Justice Lab, believes the next chief has a chance to make D.C. a national model.
“It feels like it’s in the air, like there’s something really that we’re on the precipice of,” said Young, whose organization pushes for police reform in the District.
Young said she hopes they will listen to residents and be open to reforms, such as limiting traffic stops for minor violations and supporting alternatives to policing for behavioral health crises.
“They want to see more accountability,” Young told WTOP. “They want to see more oversight. They want to have more information about how policing is operating in D.C.”
She also believes the next chief should rely on data, not politics, and be bold enough to speak out when policing practices don’t align with community needs.
“There are certain things that a police chief … cannot control,” Young said. “However, you always have a voice.”
She said the organization didn’t see eye to eye with the chief when it came to what she called an increase in unnecessary police interactions, collaboration with federal agencies and a lack of transparency and accountability.
‘What I’d like to do is give them encouragement’
Smith’s departure comes at a time when D.C. police officers have worked alongside federal partners, such as patrols with National Guard members.
City leaders have insisted police do not work directly alongside U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers; but some D.C. residents have reported instances where immigrants are arrested for minor infractions and arrested by ICE agents moments later.
Smith was asked about advice for the next chief and what guidance she has given to police officers in navigating law enforcement responsibilities alongside federal partners.
“They know probably better than I do what’s happening in community from day to day with our federal partners, because a lot of them are very intimately involved, especially our commanders,” Smith said. “At this point, I don’t need to give them any advice. I think what I’d like to do is give them encouragement.”
Smith, who has served in law enforcement for 28 years, said she will be available to support the department’s next leader.
“I will be available to the incoming or interim to provide him or her support with respect to the direction that the police department will continue,” Smith said.
For the next chief, Smith said three things are critical: communication, collaboration with partners and being involved with the community.
“My phone rings all time of day, all time of night, and you have to answer the call, you have to answer the phone, you have to show up,” Smith said.
A passion for D.C. residents is essential, she said.
“You may have to sit in somebody’s basement to have a conversation about something,” Smith said. “You have to dress down sometimes. Sometimes I’m in the community, and people don’t know I’m there. It’s just to protect the anonymity of the folks who really trust the Metropolitan Police Department, but sometimes are afraid to share the information that’s necessary.”
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