Radiation Compensation Bill Excluded from Government Funding Package

Sen. Josh Hawley criticizes Speaker Mike Johnson for blocking the bipartisan RECA expansion proposal over cost concerns.

The Radiation Exposure Compensation Act (RECA), which compensates victims of nuclear radiation exposure, expired earlier this year without reauthorization.
Sen. Josh Hawley co-sponsored a bipartisan bill to reauthorize and expand RECA, which passed the Senate with significant support but was excluded from the latest government funding bill.
Speaker Mike Johnson opposed the proposal, citing cost concerns and skepticism from House Republican leadership about expanding the program's scope.
A compromise led by Sen. Mike Lee included a six-year reauthorization with a $10 billion spending cap and expanded coverage for affected areas, but it failed to gain Johnson's approval.
Hawley and other supporters argue the exclusion prioritizes unrelated spending over victims of government nuclear testing, with government funding set to expire this Friday.