Reca Extension Act of 2022

Floor Speech

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Ms. TITUS. Mr. Speaker, 77 years ago at White Sands, New Mexico, we tested the first atomic bomb. This was followed by nearly half a century of aboveground tests, mostly at a Nevada test site not far from my district.

During this time, thousands of men and women were exposed to harmful levels of radiation, and they continue to experience health difficulties to this day.

Congress established RECA in 1990 to provide one-time payments to many of these harmed individuals. With RECA set to expire July 1, I support Senator Lee's bipartisan bill to extend the program. But I hope we can also soon bring to the floor H.R. 5338, which passed out of the Judiciary Committee in December.

Led by Congresswoman Leger Fernandez, this bill would expand the eligibility of RECA to cover additional diseases and additional communities like the uranium miners. It would also increase benefits to account for inflation.

We need to step up to help these warriors just as we leave no other warriors on the battlefield.

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