Two Native American women are leading a grassroots campaign to revive the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act, which expired in June, leaving thousands without compensation for radiation-linked illnesses.
Zack Budryk reports for The Hill.
In short:
- Loretta Anderson and Maggie Billiman are raising funds to lobby Congress for a Radiation Exposure Compensation Act (RECA) reauthorization bill that passed the Senate but stalled in the House.
- Anderson began advocating after seeing uranium miners affected by nuclear fallout excluded from the original RECA law.
- Billiman’s motivation stems from her father’s death from cancer, which she believes was caused by radiation exposure during nuclear testing.
Key quote:
“We have come together with a dream that, maybe let’s protest instead of just sitting back and allowing this to disappear and nothing happen. We need to do something.”
— Loretta Anderson of the Pueblo of Laguna
Why this matters:
Communities impacted by Cold War-era nuclear tests, particularly Native Americans, continue to face long-term health consequences. Many survivors remain uncompensated due to RECA’s expiration, leaving them without financial support for radiation-related illnesses.
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