East Idaho Times

Washington, D.C.--U.S. Senator Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) and Senator Ben Ray Luján (D-New Mexico) are urging House Speaker Mike Johnson to take immediate action to pass the Radiation Exposure Compensation Reauthorization Act (RECA). In a bipartisan effort, the lawmakers stressed the importance of signing RECA into law to support communities affected by the United States' nuclear testing program.

“Between 1945 and 1992, the U.S. conducted 206 above-ground nuclear weapons tests, dispersing radioactive material across vast swathes of the nation,” the lawmakers wrote. “The 'downwinders,' along with those involved in uranium mining, milling, and transportation, are still enduring the health impacts from their exposure to this radiation.”

The senators continued, “We urge action immediately to strengthen the RECA program before its impending sunset in June 2024. The United States government exposed these Americans to radiation as part of our national security efforts through World War II and the Cold War. It is long past time that RECA is strengthened to give these Americans their recognition and compensation. Their livelihoods, often devastated by the long-term consequences of radiation exposure, depend on your leadership and commitment to rectifying past injustices. Let us honor the commitment we made to these citizens by ensuring they receive the support and recognition they so rightly deserve.”

Joining Senators Crapo and Luján in this call are several other lawmakers from both parties, including Senators Josh Hawley, Martin Heinrich, John Hickenlooper, Mark Kelly, and more, as well as U.S. Representatives Steve Cohen, Ruben Gallego, Teresa Leger Fernández, and others.

The full text of the letter can be accessed for more details on the initiative.