Radiation Exposure Compensation Reauthorization Act

Held at the desk.

Mar 11, 2024

This bill reauthorizes and expands compensation programs for individuals exposed to radiation during nuclear testing or uranium mining who developed medical conditions. It extends eligible exposure dates, adds core drilling as a qualifying mining occupation, authorizes compensation for individuals with combined uranium mining work histories, increases compensation amounts, and expands coverage to specified areas in Alaska, Kentucky, Missouri, and Tennessee affected by Manhattan Project waste. The bill extends the claims filing deadline by five years, expands eligibility for former Department of Energy employees under an occupational illness program, establishes a grant program for studying uranium mining health impacts, and directs the Government Accountability Office to study unmet medical benefits coverage for individuals exposed to atmospheric nuclear tests.

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Radiation Exposure Compensation Reauthorization Act This bill reauthorizes and expands programs that compensate individuals who were exposed to radiation during certain nuclear testing or uranium mining and who subsequently developed medical conditions, including cancers. Under current law, compensation is payable to individuals based on requirements including the (1) dates when exposure occurred, (2) duration of exposure, (3) type of exposure, and (4) resulting medical condition. Among other changes to this program, the bill (1) extends the eligible dates when qualifying atmospheric exposure occurred, (2) authorizes compensation to individuals with combined work histories in uranium mining, (3) adds core drilling as an eligible mining occupation, and (4) increases the amount of compensation awarded to qualifying individuals. The bill also expands this program to compensate individuals located in specified areas in Alaska, Kentucky, Missouri, and Tennessee associated with waste from the Manhattan Project and who subsequently developed specified types of cancer. The bill extends until five years after this bill's enactment the statute of limitations for the filing of claims. The bill also expands eligibility under an existing occupational illness compensation program for former Department of Energy employees. The bill also establishes a grant program for institutions of higher education to study the epidemiological impacts of uranium mining and milling among individuals without occupational exposure. The bill directs the Government Accountability Office to study and report to Congress on the unmet medical benefits coverage for individuals who were exposed to radiation in atmospheric nuclear tests conducted by the federal government.