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In this report
Answers to Common Questions
Press Releases
Online resources

Current Event Archive

Divine Strake Informational Meeting

Boise, ID
January 28, 2007

Current Event, January 28, 2007

I spent a recent Sunday afternoon at an informational meeting asking questions and learning about the proposed "Divine Strake" non-nuclear test in Nevada. I also heard from concerned constituents who want to learn about any potential harm from the test.

I requested the meeting so that all Idahoans would have a chance to learn and ask questions, something that was not offered to us during the nuclear tests in Nevada in the 1950s.

If you would like to comment on the Divine Strake Environmental Assessment Documents, you can mail your comments to:
NNSA/NSO
Divine Strake Comments
PO Box 98518
Las Vegas, NV 89193-8518
Comments can also be faxed to (702) 295-0625 or emailed to divinestrake@nv.doe.gov.

Redoing RECA

In late spring 2005 the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) released a study recommending that Congress overhaul the Radiation Exposure and Compensation Act (RECA) and base compensation to affected individuals on scientific standards rather than arbitrary geographic boundaries. Currently, RECA compensation is not available in Idaho, despite studies showing that our state received some of the highest doses of fallout.

I was pleased with NAS's confirmation that compensation under RECA should not be confined to the Act's current geographical borders. However, while the scientific standards are being updated to reflect the best available science, we must ensure that Idahoans are made eligible so that there will be no delay for those who qualify for compensation right now.

Following the release of the NAS study, I included a provision in the Fiscal Year 2006 Commerce, Justice, and Science Appropriations bill that required the Department of Justice (DOJ), which administers the RECA program, to report to Congress on what the Department and the Congress should do to implement the recommendations of the NAS report. Although this action alone would not immediately make Idahoans eligible for compensation, it is my hope that this could ultimately lead to a program that will include Idahoans.

The entire report is available here (PDF, 344 KB). As expected, the report states that within the framework of the existing law, DOJ itself is unable to implement the NAS recommendations. Congress must pass legislation altering RECA from a compensatory program based on geographic locations to a program based on scientific standards. These conclusions provide further support for the Congress, not the DOJ, to implement the NAS recommendations.

I am working with DOJ to discuss their conclusions, because it is clear that certain steps must be taken to bring RECA in line with current scientific standards. However, the road to sweeping RECA reform is likely to be a lengthy one, and in the meantime it is obvious to me that Idahoans should gain access to compensation immediately under the current program guidelines. For this reason, I have cosponsored S. 998 with Senator Crapo to include Idaho in the current RECA program until the program is reformed according to the NAS recommendations. Our legislation is currently being reviewed by the Senate Judiciary Committee. It is my intent to share the findings of the recent report with the Judiciary Committee in hopes of moving our legislation forward as soon as possible.

I want you to know that I will continue to be actively engaged in the debate surrounding this issue as it moves through the Senate, and that I am fully committed to ensuring Idahoans affected by nuclear weapons testing are eligible for compensation under a fair, science-based RECA program.

On this page you will find a list of frequently-asked questions that I hope will help resolve any questions you may have regarding this issue. Please feel free to contact me if there is anything further I can do for you. I invite you to continue to check this site for the latest developments in this issue as they occur.

Answers to Common Questions

I heard Congress passed RECA-related legislation in November, 2005. Does that mean I can apply for compensation now?

Idaho-related RECA language I authored was indeed included in the conference report to the FY2006 Commerce, Justice, and Science Appropriations Bill, and is a critical interim step toward RECA reform. The conference report passed the House, and will soon be considered in the Senate and signed into law by President Bush. My language requires that Department of Justice issue suggestions for the Department and Congress to implement the recommendations of the National Academy of Sciences' April, 2005 report. While doing so does not immediately make Idahoans eligible for RECA compensation, it may ultimately lead to a revised RECA program that would include Idahoans.

Can I still submit testimony to be considered in the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) Radiation Exposure Compensation Act (RECA) study?

No. The NAS study was completed and released to the public in late April of 2005. A public meeting was held in Boise on November 6, 2004, in conjunction with the National Radiation Board, to accept oral testimony from Idahoans regarding RECA. Prior to that meeting, the Board had received approximately 450 inputs from Idahoans in addition to letters, faxes, and e-mails that have been forwarded by the Delegation from Idahoans.

What were the results of the NAS RECA study?

The report made a series of recommendations to Congress that could eventually lead to a nationwide, science-based expansion of RECA. This would require the establishment of standards for a level of radiation exposure and a probability of exposure that will determine eligibility for compensation across the nation, instead of restricting eligibility to those living in specified geographic regions.

Where can I get a copy of the study?

The National Academies Press website offers several ways to get a copy of the study. Access the web version to read the study online, perform a keyword search, or skim through highlights of the study's 372 pages. A Report Brief (4 pages) and Executive Summary (23 pages) are also offered, as well as the ability to pre-order the final printed version online.

Who is eligible to apply for compensation right now?

At this time, under the current law, RECA compensation is available only to residents of certain counties in Utah and Nevada, who lived in those counties while testing was underway in Nevada.

When can I apply for compensation?

Idahoans will not be eligible for compensation and able to apply until new legislation is enacted to alter the program. My goal, however, is to ensure all Idahoans access to the RECA process as soon as possible.

What is the status of legislation to amend RECA?

Immediately upon learning the results of the NAS study, Senator Crapo and I began work on legislation that would expand RECA to include all counties in Idaho. I am pleased to announce that on May 11, 2005, we introduced S.998, a bill that would include all of Idaho under the existing RECA program to compensate those who can show medical evidence they were harmed by nuclear testing fallout in the 1950s and 1960s. As this bill makes its way through the Senate, and as the debate surrounding RECA reform continues, I will remain very actively engaged in pursuit of Idaho's best interests, and will continue to keep you informed of the latest developments.

Press Releases

Online Resources

Craig Statement on RECA Legislation Introduced on December 16, 2005
The Facts About Exposure to I-131 Radiation
Nuclear and Radiation Studies Board
National Academies of Science
Justice Department's Radiation Exposure Compensation Program