Bill would help Nevadans previously impacted by testing at Nevada National Security Site
WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV) joined her Senate colleagues in introducing the Downwinders Parity Act, legislation that would extend eligibility for compensation due to illnesses caused by radiation exposure at the Nevada National Security Site (NNSS), previously the Nevada Test Site. This bill would amend the existing Radiation Exposure Compensation Act (RECA) to ensure that all individuals in Clark County, Nevada who were present during the atmospheric nuclear testing at the NNSS and exposed to radiation are eligible for federal compensation.
“Nevadans exposed to radiation and harmed as a result of atomic weapons tests during the Cold War deserve better compensation,” said Senator Rosen. “That’s why I joined my colleagues in introducing legislation to expand coverage for federal compensation for those impacted by Cold War atomic weapons testing.”
Senator Rosen originally helped introduce the Downwinders Parity Act last Congress. She also helped introduce the RECA Extension Act, which was signed into law in 2022 and extends the current RECA program until June 2024. RECA compensates individuals who were exposed to radiation while working in uranium mines or living downwind from atomic weapons tests.
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