Council for a Livable World is once again partnering with other anti-nuclear organizations as well as frontline communities to expand the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act, known as RECA.
What is RECA?
RECA offers federal compensation for survivors of nuclear weapons mining, testing and cleanup. A long overdue expansion would ensure that survivors in New Mexico, Idaho, Colorado, Montana, Missouri and Guam have access to current RECA benefits for survivors in other states.
Why take action on RECA now?
The Senate version of the National Defense Authorization Act included language to expand RECA, allowing long overdue compensation for more survivors of nuclear-related injustice than were previously eligible.
However, this provision may not be adopted in the final Pentagon funding bill because the House has not approved the provision.
This is the closest survivors and their supporters have been to getting justice in more than 20 years. It is imperative that the House not squander the opportunity to do some real good for atomic veterans and other nuclear survivors. Your call today could make all the difference.
What should I say when I call?
When you call Speaker Mike Johnson at (202) 225-4000, you can use the script our partners working directly with frontline communities have provided, or you can feel free to tweak it as you wish:
Hi, my name is [your name]. I’m calling to urge Speaker Mike Johnson to keep provisions to strengthen the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act, or RECA [pronounced REEK-AH], in the NDAA. S.Amendment 1058, introduced and passed by Senator Hawley in the Senate, would improve RECA by finally including radiation-exposed communities that have been fighting for decades for justice. Congressman Johnson has said in the past that this issue “is a bipartisan concern,” and Rep. Jim Jordan has said repeatedly: “No one here disputes that if the Federal Government recklessly took actions that led to our citizens getting cancer, we should provide compensation for that harm.” We know the government did expose its own people to radiation. RECA is the remedy for that harm. Please make sure RECA stays in the NDAA.
I called. Now what?
Thank you for taking a few minutes to stand up for atomic veterans, Indigenous communities and others unknowingly exposed to radiation! You will likely hear more about this from us in the next few days as we desperately try to get compensation for victims in this year’s funding bill. We cannot let this opportunity go to waste.
If you’d like to do more, consider asking your friends to join you in calling Speaker Johnson.
Finally, we’d love to hear about your experience. If you were able to have a conversation with a member of Speaker Johnson’s staff, please let us know.
