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Read. Follow. Verify.The Downwinders Act
Last action · May 23, 2024: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.Sponsor: Mike Lee
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What This Bill Would Do
This bill expands the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act (RECA) to include more people affected by nuclear testing and waste. It adds specific counties in New Mexico and ZIP codes in Missouri to the list of eligible areas and extends the program's deadline by eight years.
Residents in specific New Mexico counties and Missouri ZIP codes who were exposed to radiation from nuclear activities may become eligible for federal financial compensation for medical expenses and health conditions.
Who It Would Affect
Groups the bill's text would affect if enacted, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.
Residents of specified New Mexico counties
Individuals present in these counties during the specified 1945 window may now qualify for compensation.
Residents of specified Missouri ZIP codes
Individuals present in these ZIP codes for at least 2 years after 1949 may now qualify for compensation for specified diseases.
Attorney General
The Attorney General is responsible for certifying claimant identities and determining eligibility for compensation.
Key Facts
- Extends the termination date of the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act (RECA) fund to 8 years after the enactment of this bill.
- Adds 10 New Mexico counties (Bernalillo, Chaves, Guadalupe, Lincoln, Sandoval, San Miguel, Santa Fe, Socorro, Torrance, and Valencia) to the list of affected areas for individuals present between July 16, 1945, and August 16, 1945.
- Creates a new compensation category for individuals exposed to Manhattan Project waste in specific Missouri ZIP codes.
- Requires individuals claiming Manhattan Project waste exposure to have been physically present in the specified Missouri ZIP codes for at least 2 years after January 1, 1949.
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- Sets compensation for living claimants affected by Manhattan Project waste at the greater of $50,000 or documented out-of-pocket medical expenses not covered by insurance.
- Provides $25,000 in compensation to the surviving spouse or children of deceased individuals who qualified for Manhattan Project waste claims.
- Defines a list of 'specified diseases' eligible for compensation, including various cancers and leukemia.
- Requires the Attorney General to certify the identity of claimants and verify that they meet all eligibility requirements.
- Allows claims to be filed by authorized agents, such as executors or legal guardians, if the affected individual is deceased or incapacitated.
Frequently Asked Questions
Am I eligible for compensation if I lived in Missouri?
What diseases are covered under this bill?
How much money can a claimant receive?
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News Coverage
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Votes, people, money & the original sourceWhere This Stands
Currently in committee. The next step in the legislative lifecycle is Floor Vote.
Version history
Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.
View official text →Full breakdown
Who this bill affects and the strongest case for and against it, written only from the bill’s own text.
Sponsors
Discoveries
Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.
Expansion of RECA scope
The bill marks a shift by explicitly incorporating Manhattan Project waste claims for specific Missouri ZIP codes, moving beyond the traditional focus on nuclear test site downwinders.
Connected Entities
Sources
www.congress.gov
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance85How much this matters to a regular citizen
- Controversy40Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment10Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz50Current news / social attention level
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