The Radiation Exposure Compensation Act (RECA): Compensation Related to Exposure to Radiation from Atomic Weapons Testing and Uranium Mining

The Radiation Exposure Compensation Act (RECA) provides one-time benefit payments to persons who may have developed cancer or other specified diseases after being exposed to radiation from atomic weapons testing or uranium mining, milling, or transporting. Administered by the Department of Justice (DOJ), RECA has awarded over $2.5 billion in benefits to more than 39,000 claimants since its inception in 1990.

The RECA program is scheduled to sunset on July 10, 2022, with no applications accepted after July 11, 2022. The Senate has passed legislation, S. 4119, that would extend the RECA sunset date by two years through July 10, 2024, without making any other changes to the program. This legislation has not been acted on by the House of Representatives.