U.S. House bill proposes expanding nuclear radiation compensation

A new federal bill, the Radiation Exposure Compensation Reauthorization Act of 2026, has been introduced in the U.S. House to expand and extend compensation for individuals affected by nuclear weapons testing and production.

The legislation seeks to address gaps in the existing Radiation Exposure Compensation Act (RECA) by expanding coverage to include territories such as Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands, as well as states like Colorado and Nevada. For the Northern Mariana Islands, the bill proposes a federal study to investigate potential exposure to radioactive fallout from U.S. nuclear tests conducted in the Pacific between 1946 and 1962. This study would involve reviewing historical records, meteorological data, and declassified documents.

Key provisions of the bill include increasing compensation to $150,000 per claimant, expanding the list of covered diseases, and extending the filing window from two years to 15 years. The act also aims to allow for the reimbursement of medical expenses and grants the president and attorney general authority to add new classes of claimants. Advocates note that while some breakthroughs were made in 2025, thousands of claims remain unfulfilled, and tight deadlines have complicated the process for many victims.