RECA

I am committed to remedying the injustice suffered by those living in the shadow of nuclear testing. Communities suffering the effects of radiation are owed a debt. That is why I advocated and voted for extending the Radiation Exposure Act. These families have suffered generational health issues from radiation exposure as far back as the first nuclear tests. RECA was scheduled to sunset in July 2022. For over thirty years, this program has provided compensation to the largely rural, Hispanic, and Native New Mexico communities involved in uranium mining for the nation’s nuclear weapons program. To date, RECA has awarded over $2.3 billion in benefits to more than 36,000 claimants, including countless New Mexican miners. Miners, millers, and transporters in New Mexico are entitled to a lump sum payment of $100,000.