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Utah Nuclear Weapons Victims Call for Utah’s Delegation to Support Expansion of RECA that Would Include Northern Utah Downwinders

Advocates for downwinders held a press conference in Salt Lake City urging Utah’s Congressional delegation to support the expansion of the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act (RECA) to include all victims of nuclear weapons testing in Utah and other Western states. The bipartisan amendment, included in the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), awaits conferencing with the House. The expansion, supported by new evidence and resolutions from Utah entities, aims to provide justice to downwinders and uranium miners who suffered illnesses due to nuclear exposure. Despite bipartisan Senate approval, Utah senators did not vote in favor. Urgency is stressed as the current RECA program expires in June.

Downwinders

What are downwinders? Downwinders are individuals and communities that were exposed to radioactive contamination or nuclear fallout due to nuclear weapons testing, the uranium industry,…