Western Governors support the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act Amendments of 2023

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WGA News

The Western Governors’ Association (WGA) wrote to the House and Senate Committees on the Judiciary to express their bipartisan support for the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act (RECA) Amendments of 2023. The letters of September 5, 2023, signed by Wyoming Governor Mark Gordon, WGA’s Chair, and New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham, WGA’s Vice Chair, specifically supported provisions in the legislation to recognize the broader scope of populations and activities negatively affected by the nuclear weapons program, extend the Radiation Exposure Compensation Trust Fund for 19 years, and increase the amount of compensation an individual filing a claim may receive to $150,000.  The text of the bills was included as an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act for FY24 during Senate floor consideration.  “We encourage you to expeditiously approve this important legislation, which acknowledges that nuclear weapons production and testing has had much broader effects than currently recognized by statute,” the letter read. “Retention of the language adopted during the Senate’s consideration of the FY24 NDAA would accomplish this objective.” Read the full correspondence (House letter, Senate letter) for additional details.


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