Former EEOICPA Ombudsman Joins Cold War Patriots in Advocating for RECA Strengthening

Cold War Patriots (CWP), a division of Professional Case Management, recently partnered with Malcolm Nelson, former EEOICPA Ombudsman, to visit Capitol Hill and advocate for the strengthening of the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act (RECA). Malcolm and Tim Lerew, the Official Spokesperson for CWP, (both pictured at left), visited numerous lawmakers in October to encourage them to support amendment S.1058 to the National Defense Authorization Act, thereby extending RECA eligibility to previously excluded Americans who were exposed to atomic weapons program testing and related exposures to radiation associated with America’s weapons testing. They attended a number of important face-to-face meetings with a wide range of government officials who can directly influence how the amendment fares in negotiations later this year.

Through those meetings, Malcolm and Tim held discussions with staff on the House Judiciary Committee, the House Armed Services Committee, and staff of several members of Congress with roles in the House and Senate Conference Committee working on the final version of the RECA legislation. Pictured below is James Lesinski, who is Senior Counsel to the House Judiciary Committee which has jurisdiction over RECA.

Of their efforts to encourage legislators and advocate for expansion, Tim said, “Malcolm is a great asset to both me and Kevin Davis, a local lobbyist from the Union of Concerned Scientists who arranges many of the RECA Working Group’s visits to Capitol Hill.” Tim, Malcolm, and the RECA Working Groups proudly represented Cold War Patriots members, families, and communities in sharing how expanding RECA can improve lives in downwind communities as well as those or uranium workers.

Strengthening RECA and expanding its eligibility means more communities who were impacted by nuclear weapons and uranium industries can get the help and benefits they need and have earned. You can read more about Cold War Patriots’ history of efforts to strengthen RECA here. Final Congressional action on the RECA amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act is expected by end of December, 2023.