ACTION ALERT: Help Deliver
Justice for Nuclear Exposure Survivors
Win Without War
(October 17, 2024) — 34 years ago this month, Congress opened a critical lifeline to thousands of people. But without urgent action from people like you, 2024 could be the year that Congress leaves victims and survivors of US nuclear testing and uranium mining out in the cold.
Here’s the background: The US government poisoned countless people to build and test bombs. Indigenous communities, uranium miners, veterans, and numerous others were unknowingly and knowingly exposed to radiation for years, and many still suffer long-term health impacts. The Radiation Exposure Compensation Act (RECA) was passed to provide healthcare and compensation to those individuals. While there were gaps, it was working, at least until the program expired this summer.
Before that though, a bipartisan Senate voted to extend and expand RECA’s promise. That means all that’s left is a vote in the House. The problem? The legislative calendar is getting shorter each day, which means this bill could languish — and thousands of people could unnecessarily suffer.
That’s where you come in. Your representative has the power to repair an injustice that too many people are experiencing right now. The chance that they act is higher if you speak out today.
The human toll of our nuclear past is staggering, and it is an injustice that we can no longer ignore. From the downwinders exposed to radioactive fallout during nuclear tests to the uranium miners who toiled in hazardous conditions, radiation exposure has impacted generations.
“We stand here today united by a common purpose — to demand justice,” said Navajo Nation Council Speaker Crystalyne Curley as they marched to Capitol Hill for a press conference last month. “This is not just a Navajo issue. It is a national issue, and it is a human issue. We call on Speaker Johnson and the House to take immediate action to pass this bill. Every day that passes without action means more families suffering, more lives lost, and more injustice.”
These individuals and their families have already endured unimaginable suffering and face mounting medical bills, lost wages, and the emotional toll of living with the consequences of exposure. That’s why our ask is simple: Extend and expand RECA now. If you agree, it’s time to act:
RECA is a critical lifeline for communities across the country. If the House fails to act, thousands of people will be cut off from a lifeline of support and compensation they desperately require — but we won’t let that happen. Send your representative an urgent message to help get this bill to the House floor and passed now!
Now, and always, our work must be about justice for those who have already borne the costs of a misguided national security strategy; it must also include how we show up in community with one another. The US government bears a responsibility to the individuals and communities affected by its nuclear programs. RECA’s compensation and support represent a critical step toward acknowledging and addressing the harm caused.
Today, let’s push Congress to correct past wrongs against Native communities by extending and expanding the lifeline they are due.
Thank you for working for peace,
The Win Without War team
