U.S. House Passes Historic Expansion Of Radiation Exposure Compensation Act

U.S. House Passes Historic Expansion Of Radiation Exposure Compensation Act

by | Aug 28, 2025 | News

By Ethan Faverino |

Through the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, the U.S. House of Representatives reauthorized the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act (RECA) through December 31, 2028, and enacted its largest-ever expansion.

This act broadens eligibility to include new populations, such as Northern Arizona counties and additional uranium workers, while continuing support for those affected by the U.S. nuclear weapons program.

The expanded RECA provides a one-time, lump-sum payment of up to $100,000 to qualifying individuals or their survivors, offering critical restitution for those who developed serious illnesses due to radiation exposure.

Representative Eli Crane (AZ-02) announced that the reauthorized act now covers individuals in Coconino, Yavapai, Navajo, Apache, Gila, and Mohave counties in Arizona affected between January 1951 and November 1962, as well as uranium workers employed in covered occupations from January 1, 1942, to December 31, 1990.

The program also extends to onsite participants of nuclear tests and those impacted by the Manhattan Project waste.

RECA provides a non-adversarial alternative to litigation, requiring no proof of causation. Claimants qualify by demonstrating a compensable disease and presence in a designated area or occupation during specified periods.

The program, administered by the Department of Justice, is designed to resolve claims efficiently, using existing records to minimize administrative costs for both claimants and the government.

The four qualifying categories are Downwinders, onsite participants, uranium workers, and Manhattan Project waste victims.

Downwinders are individuals who developed certain cancers after radiation exposure from U.S. nuclear tests between 1944 and 1962.

The program now includes several Arizona counties along with eligible areas in Idaho, New Mexico, Utah, and Nevada.

To qualify, individuals must have lived in one of the areas during a specific time period and have been diagnosed with a compensable disease such as leukemia, multiple myeloma, lymphoma, or certain primary cancers.

On-site participants were individuals present at U.S. atmospheric nuclear tests before January 1, 1963, and later developed a compensable disease.

Uranium workers also receive compensation for individuals employed in uranium mining, milling, core drilling, ore transport, or remediation efforts in mines or mills located in Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, Wyoming, South Dakota, Washington, Utah, Idaho, North Dakota, Oregon, or Texas between January 1, 1942, and December 31, 1990.

To qualify, uranium workers must have been employed for at least one year during the time period and been diagnosed with a compensable disease such as lung cancer, pulmonary fibrosis, silicosis, pneumoconiosis, cor pulmonale related to lung fibrosis, or renal cancers.

Lastly, Manhattan Project waste victims get compensation for individuals exposed to Manhattan Project waste in designated areas of Missouri, Tennessee, Alaska, and Kentucky.

To qualify, individuals must have lived, worked, or attended school for at least two years after January 1, 1949, in designated zip codes and have a compensable disease.

The expanded Radiation Exposure Compensation Act delivers long-overdue justice, honoring those whose lives were forever changed by radiation exposure.

Ethan Faverino is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.

Rep. Gosar’s Downwinders Parity Act Passes Through Inclusion In ‘One Big Beautiful Bill’

Rep. Gosar’s Downwinders Parity Act Passes Through Inclusion In ‘One Big Beautiful Bill’

by | Jul 9, 2025 | News

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.