Radiation Exposure Compensation Reauthorization Act of 2026

The bill, titled the "Radiation Exposure Compensation Reauthorization Act of 2026," significantly expands and reauthorizes the existing Radiation Exposure Compensation Act (RECA). It extends the program's authorization and claim filing deadlines from 2028/2027 to 2043/2042, ensuring long-term support for claimants and broadening the scope of eligible individuals and benefits. The bill extends the period for atmospheric testing exposure eligibility from 1962 to 1992 and adds new categories of individuals. This includes those physically present in affected areas for specified periods, participants in atmospheric nuclear device tests, and those involved in the radiological cleanup of Enewetak Atoll or B-52 crash response efforts in Palomares, Spain, and Thule Air Force Base, Greenland. The definition of "affected areas" for downwinders is also expanded to include Colorado, Montana, and Guam. For claims related to Manhattan Project waste, the bill updates and expands the list of specific ZIP codes in Missouri, Illinois, Washington, Colorado, and Ohio where residents are eligible. It also introduces a "petitioner cohort" as a new eligibility category for both atmospheric testing and Manhattan Project waste claims, allowing for future designation of additional groups. The legislation substantially increases compensation amounts for various claims, raising downwinder and Manhattan Project waste claims, as well as benefits for deceased beneficiaries, to $150,000 . An important addition is eligibility for documented out-of-pocket medical expenses not covered by other insurance for downwinders. To simplify the claims process, the bill allows the Attorney General to accept written affidavits or declarations, made under penalty of perjury by a third party, as evidence for various eligibility criteria. It also expands the list of compensable "specified diseases" for both atmospheric testing and Manhattan Project waste claims to include chronic lymphocytic leukemia, renal disease, thyroid diseases, and several additional primary cancers. The bill establishes a new mechanism for the President to designate additional classes of individuals as eligible for compensation based on recommendations from the Attorney General. It mandates a study on radiological fallout impacts in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands and directs the National Institutes of Health to conduct studies on the health of RECA claimants and their descendants, including cancer rates and thyroid illnesses. The bill ensures geographical distribution of grants for Radiation Exposure Screening and Education Program (RESEP) clinics across several states and Guam, including dedicated funding for mobile units in rural areas. It appropriates significant funds for these clinics from Fiscal Year 2027 through Fiscal Year 2041 and extends the RESEP program to include covered descendants of RECA recipients.