The Radiation Exposure Compensation Reauthorization Act was introduced last week by a bipartisan group of U.S. senators which included Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Missouri), Sen. Ben Ray Lujan (D-New Mexico), Sen. Mark Kelly (D-Arizona) and others. The bill passed twice last year in the Senate, but was never considered by the House, so it expired.
All this movement comes as a day of remembrance was observed to acknowledge the harm done to “downwinders” in Nevada by nuclear testing in the United States. January 27 was chosen because that was the first day of testing at the Nevada Proving Ground in 1951.
Ever since RECA expired, various groups have lobbied for it to be revived with changes. This version expands coverage in Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, Colorado and other states. The previous program covered portions of counties within states – a point of contention among many critics who argued contamination doesn’t stop at county lines.
This version would also include new coverage for states such as Missouri, and territories like Guam where nuclear waste was deposited, said Utah “downwinder” Mary Dickson.
“And it's still causing cancer and other illnesses in populations. So that whole nuclear chain has casualties and continues to affect newer generations,” she said.
Acknowledging the changing political climate, Dickson said she and other downwinders remain hopeful the new version will pass.
Lawmakers included funding for disaster relief in the current budget, known as a continuing resolution.
“We kinda see this as disaster relief, although it was a man-made disaster," Dickson said. "It was our own government that made us sick.”
The measure could be voted on in March when lawmakers vote on the 2025 federal budget.
This story was produced by the Mountain West News Bureau, a collaboration between Wyoming Public Media, Nevada Public Radio (KNPR) in Las Vegas, Boise State Public Radio in Idaho, KUNR in Nevada, KUNC in Colorado and KANW in New Mexico, with support from affiliate stations across the region. Funding for the Mountain West News Bureau is provided in part by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.
