Congressman Paul A. Gosar | Official U.S. House headshot
Congressman Paul A. Gosar | Official U.S. House headshot
Representative Paul Gosar has reintroduced the Downwinders Parity Act, known as H.R. 1362, which aims to reauthorize the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act (RECA). The legislation seeks to correct an oversight in the RECA Act of 1990 that excluded areas of Mohave County, Arizona, and Clark County, Nevada.
"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," stated Congressman Gosar. "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."
The original RECA was established by Congress in 1990 to provide compensation for downwinders affected by nuclear weapons testing from 1945 to 1962. However, it did not adequately define boundaries for impacted populations. Many residents of Mohave County, Arizona, and Clark County, Nevada were excluded despite their proximity to test sites.
"Not only were downwinders residing in Mohave and Clark counties closer to the Nevada Test Site than residents in other eligible counties," Gosar noted, "but they also have the second-highest overall incidence rate of cancer in their respective states."
Since his election to Congress, Gosar has advocated for rectifying this exclusion. He emphasized that Congress has a moral responsibility to update RECA by including both Mohave and Clark counties as affected areas.
The background information highlights that RECA was enacted on October 15, 1990 (PL 101-426), offering a one-time cash benefit for individuals exposed to radiation from atomic weapons testing or uranium mining. The program was initially authorized for 20 years and reauthorized in 2000 (PL 106-245) but only partially included Mohave County and limited areas of Clark County. The authorization expired on June 7, 2024.
Gosar's legislation is co-sponsored by Representatives Amodei, Hamadeh, Kennedy, Lee, Maloy, Moore, Owens, and Titus.
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