Rep. Leger Fernández Secures the Enactment of a 2-Year Extension of the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act Into Law

WASHINGTON - Congresswoman Teresa Leger Fernández (D-N.M.)  secured the signing of a bill to extend the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act (RECA).

The Congresswoman led the bipartisan House effort to pass the two-year extension through Congress with bipartisan support last month.  The program was scheduled to sunset in July 2022.

For over thirty years, RECA has provided compensation to the largely rural, Hispanic, and Native New Mexico communities involved in uranium mining for the nation’s nuclear weapons program. To date, RECA has awarded over $2.3 billion in benefits to more than 36,000 claimants, including countless New Mexican miners. Miners, millers, and transporters in New Mexico are entitled to a lump sum payment of $100,000. Thanks to this bipartisan, bicameral effort, New Mexican miners will continue to have access to the program.

On May 6, 2022, Congresswoman Teresa Leger Fernández and Congressman Burgess Owens led a bipartisan letter urging House leadership to bring S. 4119, the RECA Extension Act of 2022, to the House Floor for a vote as soon as possible. Today, the legislation was signed into law.

“New Mexico is sadly no stranger to the health perils associated with uranium mining and nuclear testing. Nearly 77 years after the Trinity Test, our communities still fall ill from radiation exposure. With the enactment of the two-year extension we must renew our commitment to pass my comprehensive legislation to expand eligibility under RECA to cover all impacted New Mexicans. I will keep working to bring justice to our New Mexico communities,” said Leger Fernández. 

Last year, Rep. Leger Fernández introduced H.R. 5338, the RECA Amendments of 2021. H.R. 5338 would expand eligibility under RECA to include downwinders from New Mexico and other states as well as post-71 uranium miners. The House Judiciary Committee passed the legislation with bipartisan support in December. Rep. Leger Fernández continues to push for enactment of this legislation to ensure just compensation for all affected New Mexicans.

WATCH: Rep. Leger Fernández’s floor speech HERE. 

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