Ann Wagner

03/14/2024 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 03/14/2024 13:02

Wagner Leads House Colleagues in Calling for RECA Reauthorization to be Included in Upcoming Appropriations Legislation

Washington, D.C. - Congresswoman Ann Wagner (R-MO) today led a letter with her colleagues Rep. Jason Smith (R-MO), Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer (R-MO), Rep. Mark Alford (R-MO), Rep. Dina Titus (D-NV), Rep. Teresa Leger Fernández, Rep. Michael Lawler (R-NY) Rep. Greg Stanton (D-AZ), Rep. Gabe Vasquez (D-NM), Rep. Melanie Stansbury (D-NM), Rep. Raúl Grijalva (D-AZ), Rep. James Moylan (R-Guam), Rep. Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), Rep. Brittany Petterson (D-CO), and Rep. Paul Gosar (R-AZ) calling on House and Senate Leadership and Appropriators to include the reauthorization of the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act (RECA) in the upcoming appropriations package. This builds on Congresswoman Wagner's previous letter from March 11 that highlighted the importance of RECA reauthorization legislation to Missourians.The Members said:"We write with the utmost urgency regarding the impending sunset of the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act (RECA). It is imperative that S. 3853, the Radiation Exposure Compensation Reauthorization Act, legislation that recently passed the Senate on a 69-30 vote, be attached to the upcoming fiscal year (FY) 2024 appropriations package. As you know, the United States conducted scores of above-ground nuclear tests blanketing the American West in nuclear fallout as we perfected our nuclear arsenal. It is due to the sacrifice of the uranium workers and downwinders that the U.S. was able to win World War II and Cold War. However, we as a country have never adequately repaid that debt to all of the deserving victims.

"There is broad bipartisan and bicameral agreement that the United States must compensate American citizens who have gotten cancer and other diseases as a result of reckless government actions that exposed them to dangerous levels of radiation. We know the government did just that; RECA is the remedy for that harm. Absent Congressional action, RECA will sunset on June 7, 2024. Therefore, we urge you to include S. 3853 in the FY24 appropriations package that will soon come to the House floor."

Read the full letter here.