Rosen-Backed Legislation Will Ensure Nevadans Impacted By Nuclear Weapons Testing Are Eligible For Federal Compensation
WASHINGTON, DC – Today, U.S. Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV) helped pass bipartisan legislation to expand the existing Radiation Exposure Compensation Act (RECA), which provides compensation to individuals who were exposed to radiation from above ground nuclear weapons testing. This newly passed bill will expand eligibility for compensation to include more individuals who were downwind of nuclear testing, including tens of thousands of people living in Nevada. It will also extend the RECA program for 5 years, before it expires in June 2024. Since its establishment, the RECA program has helped over 45,000 victims, including thousands of Nevadans.
“Nevadans who were exposed to harmful radiation from nuclear testing during the Cold War era deserve compensation and support,” said Senator Rosen. “I’m proud to have helped pass this important legislation to ensure that all those impacted by nuclear testing in our state have access to benefits, and I will keep working until this bill becomes law.”
Senator Rosen has been fighting to provide Nevadans who have been exposed to radiation and harmed as a result of nuclear weapons testing the compensation they deserve. Earlier this year, Senator Rosen helped introduce the Downwinders Parity Act to extend and expand eligibility for compensation due to illnesses caused by radiation exposure at the Nevada National Security Site (NNSS), previously the Nevada Test Site.
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