Restarting RECA Recognizes More Communities

The U.S. Senate is currently considering a major tax and budget policy bill to update and restart the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act (RECA) — a federal program that provided compensation and health benefits to uranium workers affected by radiation exposure from nuclear weapons manufacturing and testing. RECA was originally in effect from 1990 to 2024. 

If passed, the bill would revive RECA and significantly expand its scope. It would extend eligibility to more states, cover additional radiation-related illnesses, and broaden the qualifying timeframe to include exposures from 1971 to 1990. Civilian communities located near nuclear weapons development and testing sites—commonly referred to as “downwinders”— would also become eligible for recognition and benefits under the updated program. 

Senator Josh Hawley (R-MO) played a key role in ensuring that Missouri, along with states like Tennessee and New Mexico, would be included in the expanded RECA coverage. Although two of his previous RECA expansion bills passed in the Senate, they failed to advance in the House. 

There’s a real possibility that this bill could pass the Senate and move forward in the House before the upcoming July 4th deadline. You can read more about the RECA expansion bill and its legislative journey here.