Press Releases

Congresswoman Teresa Leger Fernández (NM-03) announced today that the House Judiciary Committee passed her Radiation Exposure Compensation Act (RECA) Amendments of 2021 (H.R. 5338). The committee overwhelmingly passed the bill on a 25-8 vote with all Democrats supporting and 7 Republicans joining.

U.S. Senators Ben Ray Luján (D-NM) and Mike Crapo (R-ID) introduced the Senate companion bill.

This bipartisan legislation would provide appropriate compensation to Americans who were exposed to high levels of radiation and later developed cancer and other diseases due to the government’s nuclear testing program. It is urgently needed to extend the authorization which expires in July 2022, and just as importantly to include communities such as those in New Mexico where the first atomic bomb was tested yet New Mexicans are excluded from the compensation.

“For decades, Nuevo Mexicanos have suffered the long-term effects of nuclear testing and uranium mining on our lands,” said Leger Fernández. “Our communities are forced to live with cancer and other diseases as a result. All it takes is one conversation with downwinder communities to see the injustice these communities face. The RECA Amendments will ensure that the program does not lapse as well as fair compensation for the communities left behind. I thank Chairman Nadler for holding this important markup and thank the Committee for approving the legislation and look forward to moving the bill through Congress.”

"For almost 50 years, the U.S. conducted over 200 above-ground nuclear weapons tests, blanketing communities in Utah and many western states with harmful radioactive material and poisonous air," said Rep. Owens (R-UT). "On behalf of Downwinders in my district, I'm proud to work with Rep. Leger-Fernandez to expand the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act and right the wrongs that destroyed the lives of countless innocent Americans."

“The Navajo Nation is pleased by today’s markup of H.R. 5338 before the House Judiciary Committee.  As Representative Leger Fernández has long recognized, the RECA Amendments Act of 2021 is urgently needed to provide a measure of justice for all victims of uranium mining on the Navajo Nation.  This is a united effort on behalf of former uranium miners, the Navajo Uranium Radiation Victims Committee, and their families, to secure just compensation and benefits for the health issues and detrimental impacts of uranium mining conducted by the federal government.  The favorable passage of H.R. 5338 marks an important step toward extending the RECA trust fund that provides one-time compensation to victims and expands program coverage to impacted individuals.  We appreciate the support of Representative Leger Fernández, and Senator Luján and Senator Crapo in the Senate, to addressing this historic wrong against the Navajo people.  We now look to the full House to pass H.R. 5338 as soon as possible,” said Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez.

“Thousands of Pueblo members have suffered from serious, debilitating disease due to radiation exposure from decades of uranium mining.  We have worked closely with the New Mexico Congressional delegation to amend and expand compensation to include those from the Pueblo who are affected. The Pueblo is encouraged by the House Judiciary’s Committee overwhelming passage of Rep. Leger Fernandez’s Radiation Exposure Compensation Act Amendments. We hope this bill will continue to move forward and the members of our Pueblo will receive the justice they deserve,” said Governor Martin Kowemy Jr. of Laguna Pueblo.

“The Tularosa Basin Downwinders Consortium wants to thank Representative Leger Fernandez and Representative Owens for their efforts in making sure the RECA Amendments were successfully passed in a bipartisan fashion in the House Judiciary Committee.  It is a monumental day for the people of New Mexico and other western states to finally see movement in the US House of Representatives in passing the bill that will pay us partial restitution for our sacrifice and suffering.  We’ve waited a very long time for the social justice that has been denied us.  Now we can only hope the US Senate will see the importance of fully passing the RECA amendments,” said Tina Cordova (Co-Founder, Tularosa Basin Downwinders Consortium)

The Radiation Exposure Compensation Act (RECA) Amendments of 2021 would:

• Extend the existing RECA program until 19 years after the bill’s enactment.
• Expand eligibility for compensation payments to cover additional diseases and downwinder communities in Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, and Guam as well as Post-71 uranium workers, uranium core drillers, and DOE remediation workers.
• Increase compensation payments to $150,000.

Read the Congresswoman’s markup statement HERE.

The Committee Markup can be viewed HERE.

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