S 3853 · 118th Congress 2023–2025, ended

Radiation Exposure Compensation Reauthorization Act

Fact sheet

Latest action · Mar 11, 2024 Held at the desk.

Progress

Where this bill reached, and when. A stage with no date was not reached; one that failed a vote and later carried shows the date it carried.

  1. IntroducedFeb 29, 2024
  2. Passed SenateMar 7, 2024
  3. Passed HouseNot reached
  4. To the PresidentNot reached
  5. Became lawNot reached

Summary

Radiation Exposure Compensation Reauthorization Act

This bill reauthorizes and expands programs that compensate individuals who were exposed to radiation during certain nuclear testing or uranium mining and who subsequently developed medical conditions, including cancers.

Under current law, compensation is payable to individuals based on requirements including the (1) dates when exposure occurred, (2) duration of exposure, (3) type of exposure, and (4) resulting medical condition. 

Among other changes to this program, the bill (1) extends the eligible dates when qualifying atmospheric exposure occurred, (2) authorizes compensation to individuals with combined work histories in uranium mining, (3) adds core drilling as an eligible mining occupation, and (4) increases the amount of compensation awarded to qualifying individuals. 

The bill also expands this program to compensate individuals located in specified areas in Alaska, Kentucky, Missouri, and Tennessee associated with waste from the Manhattan Project and who subsequently developed specified types of cancer.

The bill extends until five years after this bill's enactment the statute of limitations for the filing of claims. 

The bill also expands eligibility under an existing occupational illness compensation program for former Department of Energy employees.

The bill also establishes a grant program for institutions of higher education to study the epidemiological impacts of uranium mining and milling among individuals without occupational exposure.

The bill directs the Government Accountability Office to study and report to Congress on the unmet medical benefits coverage for individuals who were exposed to radiation in atmospheric nuclear tests conducted by the federal government.

Recorded votes 1

Newest first. Open one to see how every member voted.

Roll callQuestionResultDate
Senate 75Bill Passed69–30Mar 7, 2024

Cosponsors 6

Members who signed on, in the order they did. Signatures ran from Mar 5, 2024 to Mar 6, 2024.

SeatCosponsorSigned on
D-NMBen Ray LujánMar 5, 2024
R-MOEric SchmittMar 5, 2024
D-AZMark KellyMar 5, 2024
D-NMMartin HeinrichMar 5, 2024
R-IDMike CrapoMar 5, 2024
D-AZKyrsten SinemaMar 6, 2024

Actions 9

Everything that happened, newest first.

  1. Mar 11, 2024Held at the desk.
  2. Mar 11, 2024Received in the House.
  3. Mar 8, 2024Message on Senate action sent to the House.
  4. Mar 7, 2024Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent.
  5. Mar 7, 2024Passed Senate under the order of 2/29/2024, having achieved 60 votes in the affirmative, without amendment by Yea-Nay Vote. 69 - 30. Record Vote Number: 75.

Related bills 4

Companion bills and other measures the record links to this one.

BillTitleRelationshipLatest action
S 1751Radiation Exposure Compensation Act Amendments of 2023Related billMay 18, 2023
S 2226National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024Related billJul 27, 2023
HR 2670National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024Related billDec 22, 2023
HR 4426Radiation Exposure Compensation Act Amendments of 2023Related billJul 7, 2023

Subjects

Assigned by the Library of Congress. Policy area: Labor and Employment.

Text 2

Each version as it was printed, newest first.

  1. Mar 7, 2024Engrossed in Senate
  2. Mar 5, 2024Placed on Calendar Senate

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Everything here is as published by Congress: the summary is the Congressional Research Service's, the action wording is the clerks', and the subjects are the Library of Congress's. How far it got is read from the actions themselves, taking the most recent one of each kind, so a bill that failed a vote and later passed is shown as having passed. Records come from this bill on Congress.gov and govinfo.gov.