Rep. Gabe Vasquez Joins Bipartisan Members of Congress and Victims of U.S. Nuclear Tests, Uranium Mining and Nuclear Waste Call for House Vote on RECA Expansion

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Representative Gabe Vasquez (NM-02) joined a press conference alongside Senator Ben Ray Luján, Representative Teresa Leger Fernández, Representative Melanie Stansbury, a group of bipartisan members in the House, and members of communities across the country with illnesses linked to radiation exposure from the production and testing of nuclear weapons to call on Speaker of the House Mike Johnson to allow a vote on a bill that would improve and reauthorize the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act (RECA).

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WATCH THE FULL PRESS CONFERENCEHERE

As of today, the House has just nine working days remaining to act on the RECA expansion bill passed by the Senate. The program, which provides health screenings and compensation for people sickened by U.S. testing of nuclear weapons, expires June 7.

The Senate bill, which Johnson must bring to the floor for a vote, would expand the program to cover people who have been erroneously excluded, increase compensation provided to those harmed, and extend the program for six years.

“I’m fighting to reauthorize and expand RECA in this year’s NDAA to finally bring justice to the communities like those in New Mexico and beyond, who have been suffering for far too long,” said Congressman Vasquez. “Last year, Speaker Johnson removed RECA from the final NDAA. We are running out of time to deliver justice and much-needed economic aid to our southern New Mexico communities.”

Speakers in attendance at the press conference included Senator Luján (D-NM), Representative Teresa Leger Fernández (D-NM), Representative Bush (D-MO), Congressman Moylan (R-Guam), Phil Harrison, a former uranium miner and member of the Navajo Nation, Mary Dickson, a downwinder and cancer survivor from northern Utah, and Karen Nickel, co-founder of JustMoms STL. Senator Hawley (R-MO) was unable to join the press conference in person but said:

“The federal government didn’t just mislead the American people; it lied to them—for decades—about the nuclear waste it dumped in their backyards. And have Missouri radiation victims received an apology? No. Recognition? No. Compensation? Not a dime. Now it’s time for Speaker Johnson to right these wrongs and send RECA to the House floor before the program goes dark come June 7,” said Senator Hawley.

“We are here to fix a 79-year-old injustice by the Federal Government that has taken thousands of American lives,” said Congresswoman Leger Fernández. We stand on a bipartisan basis with communities who share a common bond of hardship, death, and illness that came about because of our nation’s program to build and test atomic weapons. Democratic leadership is with us. Speaker Johnson, let us vote on RECA expansion and extension.”

“Last month, the Senate sent a resounding bipartisan message that RECA must be extended and strengthened to compensate victims who suffered in the name of national security. Every member of Congress owes a debt for the sacrifices made by those impacted by nuclear fallout, including Speaker Mike Johnson, and should act now so RECA does not expire,” said Senator Luján. “Victims of radiation exposure have suffered for too long without compensation. The House must act now to ensure these victims receive the compensation they are owed, and I'll never stop fighting to right this wrong.”

“I am proud to be the House Republican co-lead to this effort to reauthorization and expand RECA. The House must take up Senator Hawley’s bill and give the American people the chance to see where their representatives stand on this issue,” said Congressman Moylan. “Guam’s lack of inclusion in the original RECA is an injustice only furthered by every day we delay in compensating those Americans who were affected by radiation exposure just because they lived downwind of the tests in the Bikini Atoll. I will fight every day and on every bill moving through our chamber to force a vote on RECA.” 

“RECA is not a partisan issue. This is a human rights issue,” said Congresswoman Stansbury “New Mexico’s history with innovation is storied but painful, and it is up to us now to ensure people in our state—especially the downwinders—have the support and care they deserve. As we learn more about the devastating and deadly impact of radiation and nuclear testing, we must not let RECA expire and we must include the downwinders. Speaker Johnson, hear us! We must bring this vital legislation to the House floor. Our colleagues in the Senate sent it to us to bring it over the finish line. I stand with the downwinders and support an expansion to RECA.”

“The people standing up here today are proof that World War II is still killing people in this country. My district of St. Louis doesn’t only need RECA, they deserve RECA. Speaker Johnson needs to bring RECA to the floor immediately. Every minute he lets this bipartisan, Senate-passed legislation sit in his lap without action is a minute closer to people having life-saving compensation taken away. We must extend and expand RECA Now,” said Congresswoman Cori Bush.

Background: 

The Radiation Exposure Compensation Act (RECA) provides compensation to Americans who were exposed to radiation from nuclear testing and later developed cancers or other diseases.

Sadly, RECA fails to cover many communities who were harmed. S. 3853, the Radiation Exposure Compensation Reauthorization Act fixes this error.

In March, the Senate voted 69-30 to pass S.3853, which extends and expands RECA. The House must pass S. 3853 before RECA sunsets on June 7.

Last year, Senators Luján and Hawley led a bipartisan coalition of Senators to pass RECA as part of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) – the most significant Congressional action in decades to strengthen the program. Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson ultimately blocked its inclusion in the final NDAA bill despite bipartisan support.

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