Cape News

U.S. Senator Josh Hawley has announced the inclusion of a significant expansion to the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act (RECA) within the "Big, Beautiful Bill." This marks a notable achievement for nuclear radiation survivors in Missouri and across the United States and is considered a major step forward for the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) movement.

"The federal government dumped nuclear waste in the backyards of Missourians for decades—and then lied about it. These survivors sacrificed their health for our national security at the advent of the Manhattan Project, and their children and grandchildren have borne the burden of radioactive-linked illness for generations since. Reviving RECA means acknowledging the debts we owe these good Americans and delivering them the justice and overdue compensation they deserve," said Senator Hawley.

The announcement follows Senator Hawley's efforts to reauthorize RECA after its compensation funds were depleted last year due to congressional inaction. The expanded provision includes several bipartisan measures aimed at providing relief to those affected by nuclear contamination.

The expansion will extend eligibility for RECA compensation to residents of impacted areas in Missouri, Tennessee, Kentucky, and Alaska who have been exposed to contamination and developed cancers. It will also ensure full coverage for existing RECA-eligible "downwind" areas and on-site participants, such as military personnel, currently including regions of Nevada, Utah, and Arizona.

Additionally, all current RECA uranium mine workers will be fully covered under this expansion. New "downwind" areas eligible for claims now include New Mexico, remaining counties in Utah, and Mohave County in Arizona. The legislation also proposes increased benefit levels for atmospheric testing survivors to account for inflation.

Further expansions include new uranium mine workers who operated from 1971-1990, adding core drillers as eligible workers, and expanding the list of eligible diseases.

Senator Hawley has been actively advocating for over two years to secure funding for nuclear contamination survivors nationwide. He has successfully passed reauthorization bills through the Senate twice—in July 2023 and March 2024—to revive RECA benefits for survivors across the country.