Atomic Cleanup Veterans Could See Increased Federal Compensation

A bipartisan proposal could open another path to federal compensation for Veterans who participated in three nuclear cleanup and response missions.

Lawmakers are preparing to introduce the Radiation Exposure Reauthorization Act of 2026, which would add eligible Veterans from Enewetak Atoll, Palomares, Spain, and Thule, Greenland, to the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act. Known as RECA, the program provides payments to people who developed covered illnesses following exposure connected to the nation’s nuclear weapons activities.

Editor’s note: In its current form, the bill is set to be introduced by Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) and is co-sponsored by six Democrats and two Republicans, none from Calfornia.

Three Military Operations Included

Enewetak Atoll in the Marshall Islands was the site of 43 U.S. nuclear tests between 1948 and 1958. Nearly two decades later, military crews were assigned to remove contaminated material and place radioactive soil and debris in Cactus Crater, which was later covered by a concrete dome.

VA considers participation in the Enewetak cleanup between Jan. 1, 1977, and Dec. 31, 1980, a qualifying radiation-risk activity.

The proposal would also cover personnel who responded to separate accidents involving Air Force bombers carrying nuclear weapons.

A midair collision near Palomares in 1966 caused four nuclear weapons to fall from a B-52. Conventional explosives in two of the weapons detonated upon impact, dispersing plutonium in the surrounding area. About 1,600 military and civilian personnel participated in the response.

Two years later, crews were sent to Greenland after another nuclear-armed B-52 crashed and burned near Thule Air Base.

VA already presumes radiation exposure for qualifying Veterans from all three missions. Veterans diagnosed with certain cancers may be eligible for VA disability compensation without having to independently prove that their illness was connected to their military service.

The proposed legislation would address a separate program by allowing these Veterans to pursue RECA payments administered by the Department of Justice.

Additional Changes to RECA

According to a preliminary bill fact sheet, the proposal would increase certain one-time RECA payments to $150,000 and extend the filing deadline through Dec. 31, 2042. It would also add qualifying illnesses and expand geographic eligibility to Guam and communities affected by nuclear testing or Manhattan Project waste in several states.

Congress established RECA in 1990 as an alternative to lengthy litigation. Claimants are not required to prove that radiation directly caused their illness. Instead, they must provide evidence of a covered diagnosis and show that they were present in a designated area during an eligible period.

The program was reauthorized in July 2025 and now includes additional claimant categories. The Justice Department has also opened an electronic filing portal while revised regulations are being developed.

What California Veterans Should Know

The bill had not been formally introduced when lawmakers announced the proposal, so its provisions and eligibility requirements could change during the legislative process.

Veterans living in California could qualify based on their military service, even if exposure occurred elsewhere. Those who served at Enewetak, Palomares, or Thule should preserve personnel files, assignment orders, and medical records. Veterans with covered illnesses may already be able to pursue VA disability compensation under existing PACT Act provisions.