Democrat Praises ‘Significant’ GOP Support as Nuclear Bill Clears Senate

Senator Ben Ray Lujan praised “significant” Republican support for a bill that would extend the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act (RECA) past its expiration in June.

The Senate on Thursday voted to pass the bill, which would also push back the deadline for filing claims. In addition, it would allow residents in new states to become eligible for compensation if they developed specific health conditions from living in communities impacted by waste from the Manhattan Project, the U.S. government research initiative conducted in the 1940s to produce nuclear weapons.

In total, all but two Democrats—Senators Tom Carper of Delaware and Joe Manchin of West Virginia—voted in support of the bill. Twenty Republicans, including key members of leadership such as Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and National Republican Senatorial Committee Chair Steve Daines, also backed the measure.

Lujan, a New Mexico Democrat who co-sponsored the bill, told Newsweek on Thursday that its passage is “significant and monumental,” noting that lawmakers in the House of Representatives still have “legislative work” to pass the bill before its June 7 expiration.

“This is monumental for every person across the country that didn’t feel heard or seen,” Lujan said. “I mean, this really was incredible. Democrats and Republicans being willing to support each other in a unique way, and this is significant for all the folks back home.”

Moving forward, Lujan said, it will be important to advocate for the House to take up the bill and educate members who may not be as familiar with the issue.

Senator Josh Hawley, a Missouri Republican who sponsored the bill, told reporters he is “ecstatic” that it passed, also voicing praise for bipartisan support. He told Newsweek he is “optimistic” that the House will take up the legislation.

“I’m delighted to get an even bigger bipartisan vote. We got 69 votes. We have leadership of both parties in support of this bill,” he said.

Senator Steve Daines, a Montana Republican who backed the measure, said he voted for it because of the number of Montanans who have been affected by nuclear waste. A Daines spokesperson added that there have been 153 RECA claims in Montana.

At the moment, RECA covers 12 states, and eligibility changes based on location. The states covered by RECA are Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, Wyoming, South Dakota, Washington, Utah, Idaho, North Dakota, Oregon, Texas and Nevada.

If the bill becomes law, parts of Alaska, Colorado, Guam, Kentucky, Missouri, Montana and Tennessee may also be covered by RECA.

The White House has voiced support for the bill, signaling Biden would likely sign it into law if it passes the House of Representatives in a memo released Wednesday.

“The President believes we have a solemn obligation to address toxic exposure, especially among those who have been placed in harm’s way by the government’s actions,” the statement reads.

Biden “looks forward to working with Congress” to ensure that resources will be available to cover the costs of expanding the program, the White House wrote.