The Lingering Impact of Nuclear Tests: A Struggle for Justice and Recognition
During the Cold War era, the U.S. government conducted approximately 100 atmospheric atomic tests in southern Nevada from 1951 to 1962. The radioactive fallout from these tests traveled hundreds of miles, affecting numerous individuals who continue to grapple with severe radiation-related health issues decades later.
Those affected, known as “downwinders,” remain in a battle for federal recognition and support after a compensation program expired last summer. Despite the lapse, victims and certain lawmakers persist in advocating for aid.
Standing on a desert hillside near Kingman, Arizona, Cullin Pattillo reflects on the history that ties his community to the Nevada Test Site, situated over 120 miles away.
“This is essentially what you’d have been looking at in the 1940s or 1950s,” Pattillo remarks, recalling how locals could witness the distant nuclear detonations.
The legacy of these tests is personal for Pattillo, whose family has been in the area since the late 19th century. Mysterious cancers struck his father and aunt, illnesses he attributes to the nuclear tests.
Such stories are common in Mohave County. Jean Bishop, a former county supervisor, recounts that all seven of her siblings have battled cancer, linking their health issues to the Nevada Test Site fallout.
“We believe it’s because of the radiation that floated over the mountains into this area,” Bishop shares, reflecting on the loss of family members to preventable diseases.
Despite the proximity to the test site, Mohave County was excluded from the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act (RECA), a program initiated in 1990 to aid downwinders with health issues linked to radiation. Although RECA has disbursed nearly $2.7 billion, areas like Kingman and various tribal lands were left out of its provisions.
“For them to ignore Mohave County as not being touched by this radiation is bizarre and that’s what we’re trying to correct,” Bishop asserts, emphasizing the need for inclusion in compensatory measures.
Efforts to extend RECA have been ongoing. Last summer, the House of Representatives allowed the program to expire, despite the Senate having approved bills to expand its reach, led by Sen. Josh Hawley of Missouri.
“It’s a moral argument,” Hawley states. “It’s about doing right by the people who love this country and, in many cases, gave their lives for this country, gave their health for this country.”
Hawley’s home state has also been affected by radiation, with a uranium processing plant in St. Louis causing health issues due to radioactive waste.
This year, Sen. Hawley, alongside Sen. Mark Kelly of Arizona and New Mexico’s Sens. Ben Ray Luján and Martin Heinrich, reintroduced legislation to expand RECA’s eligibility and increase compensation.
“It’s got big bipartisan support in the Senate. The House needs to act and we need to get this done. Really, hundreds of thousands of Americans are depending on it,” Hawley emphasizes.
The proposed bill could cost billions, but a more limited version was recently introduced in the House by Rep. Paul Gosar, aiming to include Mohave and Clark counties.
“I think it’s going to come down to whether or not Speaker Johnson has the appetite for introducing a bill on the floor that will add to federal spending,” comments George Daranyi, a Tucson attorney representing downwinders.
Speaker Mike Johnson has not commented on the matter.
As the legislative process unfolds, the future of RECA remains uncertain, hinging on congressional support. Daranyi underscores the widespread impact of radiation exposure, describing it as “a continuing unfolding national tragedy.”
“We bombed ourselves. We did this to our own people. And the consequences continue to play out every day,” Daranyi concludes.
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