A bipartisan team of U.S. senators, led by Sens. Ben Ray Luján and Josh Hawley, are reintroducing legislation to compensate those who became sick from radiation exposure. The Radiation Exposure Compensation Act expired last year, leaving many without needed assistance. The new bill would restart the program and expand it to include downwinders in New Mexico and individuals impacted by nuclear waste in Missouri, Tennessee, Alaska, and Kentucky. It would also provide compensation for those exposed to radiation in areas like New Mexico, Arizona, and Guam, with up to $100,000 available for some claimants.
The legislation aims to assist those who worked in the uranium industry from 1971 to 1990, including members of the Navajo Nation and Laguna Pueblo. Additionally, a study on ongoing medical costs for downwinders is planned. The bill has previously passed the U.S. Senate with strong support but was not brought to a vote in the House of Representatives when the program expired.
Senators Luján and Hawley are committed to ensuring justice for those impacted by nuclear testing and uranium extraction. President Biden has expressed willingness to sign the expanded RECA into law. The effort to reintroduce the bill comes as Missouri seeks EPA oversight of a landfill containing nuclear waste. Senator Hawley emphasizes the urgency of passing the legislation to provide long-overdue compensation to affected individuals nationwide.
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