Advocates Fight For Those Sickened By US Nuclear Testing Program on Capitol Hill
- 5 days ago
Advocates Fight For Those , Sickened By US Nuclear Testing , Program on Capitol Hill.
On June 7, the federal Radiation Exposure Compensation
Act (RECA) program is set to expire, ending a lifeline
for families sickened by the country's nuclear testing. .
On June 7, the federal Radiation Exposure Compensation
Act (RECA) program is set to expire, ending a lifeline
for families sickened by the country's nuclear testing. .
NPR reports that advocates have gathered
on Capitol Hill to fight for so-called atomic
veterans and save the RECA program.
Over the past year, multiple bipartisan
bills were approved by the Senate to
reauthorize and expand the program. .
Those bills stalled out in the House,
due to some Republicans objecting
to the cost of the program. .
According to sponsors of the bills, those concerns
were addressed by reducing the initial 2023 estimate
of $143 billion down to between $50 and $60 billion. .
NPR reports that RECA has provided payments up to
$75,000 to those sickened by the nuclear testing
program, totaling $2.7 billion to over 400,000 recipients. .
One of the groups fighting to have
the program extended is the
Tularosa Basin Downwinders Consortium. .
The group works to raise awareness of illnesses
linked to Trinity, the government's code word for
the first nuclear bomb test, which took place in 1945.
Martinez White, a member of the group,
says fallout from those tests resulted in at
least six cases of cancer in her family of ten. .
I would often go home for
funerals and everybody in
Tularosa was dying of cancer.
We knew something was very weird. , Martinez White, Tularosa Basin
Downwinders Consortium member, via NPR.
There's no industry in the whole
Tularosa Basin but for White Sands
Missile Range, where the
Trinity bomb was detonated, Martinez White, Tularosa Basin
Downwinders Consortium member, via NPR
On June 7, the federal Radiation Exposure Compensation
Act (RECA) program is set to expire, ending a lifeline
for families sickened by the country's nuclear testing. .
On June 7, the federal Radiation Exposure Compensation
Act (RECA) program is set to expire, ending a lifeline
for families sickened by the country's nuclear testing. .
NPR reports that advocates have gathered
on Capitol Hill to fight for so-called atomic
veterans and save the RECA program.
Over the past year, multiple bipartisan
bills were approved by the Senate to
reauthorize and expand the program. .
Those bills stalled out in the House,
due to some Republicans objecting
to the cost of the program. .
According to sponsors of the bills, those concerns
were addressed by reducing the initial 2023 estimate
of $143 billion down to between $50 and $60 billion. .
NPR reports that RECA has provided payments up to
$75,000 to those sickened by the nuclear testing
program, totaling $2.7 billion to over 400,000 recipients. .
One of the groups fighting to have
the program extended is the
Tularosa Basin Downwinders Consortium. .
The group works to raise awareness of illnesses
linked to Trinity, the government's code word for
the first nuclear bomb test, which took place in 1945.
Martinez White, a member of the group,
says fallout from those tests resulted in at
least six cases of cancer in her family of ten. .
I would often go home for
funerals and everybody in
Tularosa was dying of cancer.
We knew something was very weird. , Martinez White, Tularosa Basin
Downwinders Consortium member, via NPR.
There's no industry in the whole
Tularosa Basin but for White Sands
Missile Range, where the
Trinity bomb was detonated, Martinez White, Tularosa Basin
Downwinders Consortium member, via NPR