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Navajo Nation families struggle for health coverage after Congress lets RECA lapse

Senator Mark Kelly is now reintroducing a bipartisan bill to extend Radiation Exposure Compensation Act
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Monday marks the National Day of Remembrance for Downwinders, honoring Americans affected by radiation exposure from nuclear testing.

Many victims of radiation exposure live on Arizona tribal lands, including members of the Navajo Nation, who have been impacted by uranium mining and atomic testing sites.

"These aren't statistics. These are people. These are my grandmas and grandpas," said Lauryn Sekayumptewa-Tso, who has several family members suffering from illnesses she believes are related to radiation exposure.

Sekayumptewa-Tso's family, from both sides, has been affected by cancer and other illnesses linked to radiation exposure. Her father, at 44, has battled cancer three times, and her mother and others have been diagnosed with fatty liver disease, another condition linked to radiation exposure.

Previously, many affected individuals received free screenings and funds through the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act (RECA), but this coverage expired last March when the Senate passed RECA, but the House failed to pass it before the expiration date. House Republican leadership previously told ABC15 the concern was cost, saying the bill would cost $50-60 billion over 10 years.

Senator Mark Kelly is now reintroducing a bipartisan bill to extend RECA, stating, "We owe it" to exposed Arizonans. Representative Paul Gosar’s office says the Republican Congressman also plans to reintroduce a RECA bill in the House.

As efforts to reintroduce RECA continue, Sekayumptewa-Tso and other tribal members remain committed to advocating for the extension and expansion of the act, highlighting the ongoing impact of radiation exposure on their communities.

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