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Adds specified ZIP codes to the list of areas eligible for Radiation Exposure Compensation Act (RECA) claims tied to Manhattan Project waste and makes that change retroactive to the enactment date of an earlier law (Public Law 119–21). A separate, minimal provision names a short title for the Act but does not change policy or funding.
The bill extends and retroactively restores Radiation Exposure Compensation Act benefits to people in newly specified ZIP codes—improving fairness and access for affected residents (including veterans and people with disabilities)—while increasing administrative rework and federal payout costs borne by taxpayers.
People living in the newly included ZIP codes (including veterans and people with disabilities) gain eligibility to file new Radiation Exposure Compensation Act claims or have existing claims covered for Manhattan Project waste exposure.
Claimants in those ZIP codes (notably veterans and people with disabilities) receive a retroactive effective date so they get the same claim window and benefits as if the law had originally included them.
Agencies and hospitals benefit from clarified statutory coverage of ZIP codes, which should reduce administrative disputes and help speed processing of claims for affected residents.
Agencies and local administrators will need to reopen or reprocess previously closed claims to apply the retroactive change, increasing administrative workload and possibly delaying processing for other claimants.
Taxpayers may face increased federal compensation payouts because expanding eligibility creates additional claims and higher program costs.
Introduced July 23, 2025 by Wesley Bell · Last progress July 23, 2025