By Matthew Holloway |
Months after its reintroduction to Congress, H.R. 1362 the Downwinders Parity Act, sponsored by Congressman Paul Gosar (R-AZ09) and cosponsored by Rep. Abe Hamadeh (R-AZ08), passed by inclusion within the ‘One Big, Beautiful Bill.’ The act, which reauthorizes the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act (RECA), passed through the Budget Reconciliation process and was signed into law by President Donald Trump on July 4th.
“Atomic weapons testing conducted during the Cold War at the Nevada Test Site came with a heavy cost to Americans living in Arizona, Nevada and within tribal communities. Every person, known as ‘downwinders,’ who developed cancer or other related illnesses after being exposed to radiation from atomic weapons testing deserves to be compensated by the federal government,” explained Gosar.
“Downwinders,” their survivors, and uranium industry workers affected by the testing are now eligible for up to $100,000 in federal compensation.
The RECA bill originally authorized compensation for “downwinders” for 20 years in 1990 and was subsequently extended for 22 years and expanded in scope to include Apache, Coconino, Gila, Navajo, and Yavapai Counties, in Arizona, but only included parts of Mohave County and only included townships 13 through 16 at ranges 63 through 71 of Clark County, Nevada. As Gosar notes, despite the revisions and even another two year extension in 2022, the entirety of Mohave County or Clark County were not included.
“Not only were downwinders residing in Mohave and Clark counties closer to the Nevada Test Site than residents in other eligible counties, but they also have the second-highest overall incidence rate of cancer in their respective states,” Gosar said.
He added, “Since first being elected to Congress, I have worked tirelessly to fix the error that excluded Downwinders from Mohave and Clark Counties from filing claims with the federal government. Congress has a moral responsibility to reauthorize RECA and update it by including both Mohave and Clark counties as affected areas.”
Cullin D. Pattillo, a surviving son of Eddie Pattillo of Kingman, told ABC15 that his father suffered for thirty years against three different forms of cancer after being exposed to radiation in the 1950s from nuclear testing 120 miles north of his Mohave County home.
“It killed my father and killed thousands of other people around the state of Arizona,” Pattillo said.
He told the outlet that his father never benefited from RECA compensation and screenings.
“I know of at least 100 claims that’ll be submitted here in Kingman, and there’s probably going to be a lot more,” he added.
Pattillo who has advocated for the expansion of RECA told the outlet, “It was always something that he fought for. We got close several times while he was still alive, and it was something I wanted to at least push through to the bitter end.”
In a statement marking the passage of H.R. 1, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, Rep. Gosar said, “Following the four disastrous years of the failed and corrupt Biden administration that created historic inflation, destroyed our economy and welcomed nearly 20 million illegal aliens into our country, I am very pleased to have voted in favor of legislation advancing President Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill.”
Matthew Holloway is a senior reporter for AZ Free News. Follow him on X for his latest stories, or email tips to Matthew@azfreenews.com.
