People who got sick from exposure to radiation during the United States’ development and testing of nuclear weapons can now start applying for compensation again.

The Radiation Exposure Compensation Act program, known as RECA, has been revived after provisions to reauthorize claim filings under the program were included in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act that became law last month.

RECA compensates individuals who developed certain illnesses from exposure to radiation during the United States’ development and testing of nuclear weapons. The program initially expired in 2024 due to congressional inaction, and no claims were accepted after June 10, 2024.

“RECA does not require claimants to prove causation,” according to the U.S. Department of Justice. “Rather, claimants qualify for compensation by establishing a diagnosis of a compensable disease after working or residing in a designated location for a specific period.”

Between the 1940s and 1990s, thousands of uranium mines operated in the United States, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Most operated in Colorado, Utah, Wyoming, New Mexico and Arizona, typically on federal and tribal lands.

Full Article