Advocates for the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act expansion expressed frustration after meeting with Speaker Mike Johnson’s staff, believing the Speaker hopes to delay and reduce the bill’s scope.
Zack Budryk reports for The Hill.
In short:
- Advocates felt Johnson’s team aims to divide supporters of RECA expansion and push for a smaller bill.
- The Senate passed the expansion with strong support, but Johnson’s office shows no signs of imminent action.
- The original RECA, compensating those affected by nuclear testing and uranium mining, expired this month after a 2022 extension.
Key quote:
“The minute we let up, they’ll just forget us. This isn’t something to let up about — they killed us.”
— Anonymous advocate
Why this matters:
RECA offers a framework for addressing historical injustices and provides a model for dealing with similar issues in the future. For instance, the act offers one-time payments to workers who mined, milled, or transported uranium and to people who lived downwind of nuclear test sites, acknowledging the severe health conditions linked to radiation exposure, including various cancers and chronic illnesses.
