This week, nearly two dozen community members exposed to radiation from nuclear weapons activities will gather in Washington, DC, to fight to save the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act, or RECA, which is set to expire in less than a month, on June 7.
These individuals will travel from New Mexico, the Navajo Nation, the Laguna Pueblo, Utah, Missouri, even Guam. Some are fighting to keep this program alive, because it provides lifesaving health screenings and compensation to those who qualify. But most of the people going to DC are representing communities that have been exposed but were left out of RECA. They’ve been fighting for decades to get the same support, and they can’t wait any longer. These individuals are facing staggering health care costs, and many are worried that their days are numbered.
Candlelit Prayer Vigil for Nuclear Weapons Victims
Date: Wednesday, May 15
Time: 7:30–9:00 p.m. ET
Location: United Methodist Building, 100 Maryland Ave NE, Washington, DC 20002
Date: Wednesday, May 15
Time: 7:30–9:00 p.m. ET
Location: United Methodist Building, 100 Maryland Ave NE, Washington, DC 20002
Save RECA Press Conference
Date: Thursday, May 16
Time: 1:00–2:00 p.m. ET
Location: “House Triangle” – Located in the grassy triangle on the House side of the Capitol’s East Front, near the corner of Independence Ave SE and First St SE
Date: Thursday, May 16
Time: 1:00–2:00 p.m. ET
Location: “House Triangle” – Located in the grassy triangle on the House side of the Capitol’s East Front, near the corner of Independence Ave SE and First St SE
The media will be invited to cover both events, and your presence can make a huge difference. It’s important to show that many people, not just those who have been personally impacted, care about this issue.
Our candlelit prayer vigil will be an interfaith commemoration of all those who have been exposed to radiation and passed away. Each year, the Tularosa Basin Downwinders Consortium holds a similar vigil in New Mexico, to honor the victims of the Trinity Test. Their members will be with us in DC for this solidarity vigil, which will also include prayers offered by other leaders in this movement.
The press conference will be held the next day and will feature speeches from RECA champions in the House and Senate, as well as impacted community members from across the country.