Sponsors (10)
The bill clarifies eligibility and extends trust-fund support through 2030—providing near-term certainty and better transparency for radiation-exposed veterans—while risking narrower exclusions, litigation and administrative delays, additional federal costs, and some loss of future policy flexibility.
Veterans and other claimants: clearer or broadened geographic eligibility under the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act due to removal of restrictive locality language, reducing the risk that eligible people are excluded.
Veterans and people with disabilities: updated statutory text reduces legal ambiguity and should speed claims processing and decision-making for affected claimants.
Radiation-exposed veterans and eligible claimants: retention of compensation eligibility and trust fund support through December 31, 2030, creating predictable, near-term financial support.
Veterans: if the new statutory insertion narrows coverage, some current claimants could lose eligibility or benefits.
Veterans and claimants: changes to eligibility language could prompt legal disputes and administrative delays while courts or agencies interpret the new text, slowing access to benefits.
Taxpayers: extending the trust fund through 2030 could increase federal spending or require additional appropriations paid for by taxpayers.
Based on analysis of 4 sections of legislative text.
Modifies RECA eligibility language (broadening/clarifying covered locations) and extends the program period through Dec 31, 2030; requires an AG outreach report.
Changes to the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act update who qualifies for benefits by altering geographic eligibility language, potentially expanding eligibility, and extend the program’s statutory period through December 31, 2030. The Attorney General must report within 180 days after enactment on outreach and education efforts to people newly eligible because of the changes.
Introduced February 14, 2025 by Paul Gosar · Last progress February 14, 2025