Senators Re-Introduce RECA Bill

The Radiation Exposure Compensation Act (RECA) has been reintroduced by a bipartisan group of U.S. Senators, including Mike Crapo (ID), Tom Udall (NM), Martin Heinrich (NM), Jim Risch (ID), and Michael Bennet (CO).

Currently, RECA provides compensation for only a certain group of individuals who contracted specific diseases caused by radiation exposure. Those currently eligible for coverage include: uranium miners, millers and ore transporters who supplied uranium for the government’s nuclear program and onsite participants at atmospheric nuclear weapons testing from 1942-1971; or people who lived downwind of the Nevada Test Site (“downwinders”) for certain periods between 1951-62.

Highlights of the re-introduced bill include:

• Extension of the trust fund for compensation and the statute of limitations to the year 2029.
• Expansion of the “affected” area to include Colorado, Idaho, Montana and New Mexico, as well as any county in Arizona, Nevada and Utah.
• Addition of “core driller” as a labor category for covered uranium workers.
• Extension of the qualification period to Dec. 31, 1990 for uranium mine or mill employees.
• Revision of the Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation Act (EEOICPA) to consider uranium workers as a covered employee. This allows these claimants to petition to become a member of the Special Exposure Cohort (SEC).

Next step for the bill is for the Senate Judiciary Committee to hold hearings.

Read the bill in its entirety. For questions or more information on the bill, contact Linda Evers at 505-287-2304 or email Linda.