Statement of Administration Policy: S. 3853 - Radiation Exposure Compensation Reauthorization Act

STATEMENT OF ADMINISTRATION POLICY

(Senate)
(Sen. Hawley, R-MO, and five cosponsors)

The Administration supports S. 3853 and has made it a priority to address the health-related harms associated with environmental exposures to toxins. In addition to enacting the bipartisan Honoring Our PACT Act to expand benefits and health care eligibility to military service members and veterans who were exposed to toxins and other hazards during their military service, the President has signed bills into law expanding eligibility for compensation and health care reimbursement for Federal firefighters who were exposed to chemicals and experience certain cancers. The President also signed into law the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act (RECA) Extension Act of 2022, which extended the termination of the RECA Trust Fund and filing deadline for claims.

S. 3853 would extend the expiration date and claims filing deadline for the RECA program and create new eligibility for individuals who developed specific health conditions and who lived in communities impacted by waste from the Manhattan Project in Missouri, Tennessee, Alaska, and Kentucky. Additionally, S. 3853 extends the dates for compensation eligibility to certain workers involved in uranium mining, and expands compensation eligibility to residents with certain health conditions who lived in New Mexico and Guam. 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 Administration looks forward to working with Congress to ensure sufficient resources are made available to cover the costs of administering the expanded benefits program to ensure we can honor that obligation.