DOWNWINDERS UNITED
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE  OCTOBER 5, 2005
CONTACTS:
J TRUMAN          208-766-5649
MARY DICKSON   801-232- 3471

DOWNWINDERS PRESS HATCH ON RECA FALLOUT COMPENSATION EXPANSION

Where's Orrin? That's what downwinders and their families in Utah are wondering as they wait to hear what is happening with the recommendations made by the National Academies of Science to Congress on expanding compensation for those affected by radioactive fallout from nuclear testing.  They have raised that question and their concerns in a letter sent today by fax to Utah Senator Orrin Hatch.

In April, the NAS released its report saying that geographic boundaries make no sense when it comes to compensating fallout victims because fallout affected the entire nation during the years of atmospheric testing.  Evidence the NAS considered in making its report showed that Northern Utah received levels of fallout as high as those received in Southern Utah.  Evidence also showed that counties in Idaho and Montana received equally high levels of radioactive fallout as did counties in the Midwest and along the upper East Coast.

The NAS was charged only with making recommendations to Congress regarding the expansion of the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act (RECA).  It is now up to Congress to decide how, or if, to implement those recommendations.  RECA is administered by the Department of Justice.

Senators in Montana and Idaho have been moving forward on behalf of downwinders in their states, but Utah's Sen. Orrin Hatch, who pushed for passage of the 1990 RECA, has been strangely silent.  "We'd like to know what Hatch is doing with the recommendations," says Salt Lake downwinder Mary Dickson.  "Senators in Montana and Idaho are pushing for their constituents, but our own senator, who was so crucial in getting RECA passed originally, has not said what he's going to do to insure that all Utahns are covered.  It's well-documented that the Wasatch Front was a huge hot zone, but none of us who are downwinders here are eligible for compensation."

In 2004, the Utah State Legislature unanimously passed a resolution calling for the entire state of Utah to be included for compensation, a resolution which was sent to Utah's senators.
 

Sen. Conrad Burns (R-Montana) has introduced a bill that would amend RECA to include Montanans who have been afflicted with cancers related to radiation exposure. Burns has been pressing the Senate Committee on the Judiciary to hold hearings on his Senate Bill-977, the "Radiation Exposure Compensation Act Amendments of 2005." Burns noted that while the national rate of thyroid cancer has increased by 38 percent between 1989 and 2003, Montana's rate increased by 127 percent.

Sen. Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) has likewise introduced a bill in Congress to include Idahoans in RECA.  He, too, has written to the Senate Judiciary Committee urging a hearing.  Crapo also has written to Mike Leavitt, secretary of Health and Human Services, saying that Idaho's downwinders "should not have to wait while Congress works to establish a new mechanism to administer assistance."

Downwinders in Utah note that as the government drags its feet on the recommendations, more downwinders are dying.  "Time is critical," says Preston Truman, director of Downwinders. "We urge Senators Hatch and Bennett  to craft a similar bill to that introduced by Senator Burns, requesting that RECA be amended to include the entire state of Utah as they were requested to do in 2004 by a unanimous resolution of the Utah State Legislature.  Utahns deserve no less."

While downwinders say they are pleased to see reports from the GAO that the Justice Department is operating more efficiently in processing existing RECA claims, they stress that the act has yet to compensate downwinders fairly.  The improvements relate to only the 22 rural counties already covered, not to the bulk of the American West affected by the same fallout.  Downwinders also requested that Sen. Hatch support a hearing on expanding RECA to all of Idaho, Montana, and Mohave County, Arizona, as well as to Utah.
 

"This is about justice," says Truman, "not about 'just us.'"

Downwinders United

 
The Honorable Orrin Hatch
United States Senate
Washington, D.C.

October 4, 2005

Dear Senator Hatch,


As downwinders and families of downwinders from Utah, we are writing to inquire about what is happening with the recommendations made in May by the National Academies of Science to Congress on expanding RECA.  As you know, the Utah State Legislature unanimously passed a resolution in 2004 urging Congress to expand RECA coverage to the entire state of Utah.

In May, the NAS released its report saying that geographic boundaries make no sense when it comes to compensating fallout victims because fallout affected the entire nation.  Evidence the NAS considered in making its report showed that northern Utah received levels of fallout as high as those received in Southern Utah.  Evidence also showed that counties in Idaho and Montana received equally high levels of radioactive fallout as did counties in the Midwest and along the East Coast.

The NAS was charged only with making recommendations to Congress regarding RECA.  It is now up to Congress to decide how or if to implement those recommendations.

Senator Conrad Burns of Montana was the first to act on behalf of downwinders in his state, followed within 48 hours by Idaho Senator Mike Crapo acting on behalf of downwinders in his state.  Sen. Burns last week wrote a letter to the Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Arlen Specter requesting a formal hearing on his Senate Bill-977, the "Radiation Exposure Compensation Act Amendments of 2005."

Nothing yet has been done to similarly add all Utahns to RECA.

You are the father of the 1990 RECA, yet you have been strangely silent on the NAS's recommendations.  We would like to know when that is going to change and you will follow the example of Senators Burns and Crapo.

While we are pleased to see reports from the GAO that the Justice Department is operating more efficiently in processing existing RECA claims, the act has yet to compensate fairly.  The improvements relate to only the 22 counties already covered, not the bulk of the American West affected by the same fallout.

We encourage you to follow the lead of Senators Burns and Crapo to introduce a bill expanding RECA coverage to all Utahns as the Utah State Legislature unanimously urged in 2004 and as the NAS recommendations clearly justify.  Utah's downwinders deserve no less. We also urge you to support a hearing on expanding RECA to all of Idaho, Montana, and Mohave County, Arizona, as well as to Utah.  This is about justice, not about "just us."  More downwinders are dying so time is critical.  

Sincerely,

ADDITION KEY BACKGROUND INFORMATION AND DOCUMENTATION CAN BE FOUND AT THE FOLLOWING URLs WHICH HAS BEEN POSTED TO OUR WEBSITE FOR EASIER ACCESS.

1) 2004 RESOLUTION BY UTAH LEGISLATURE CALLING FOR ADDING THE ENTIRE STATE OF UTAH TO THE RECA COMPENSATION ACT. http://www.downwinders.org/hjr20a.pdf

2) COPY OF BILL FILED BY MONTANA SENATOR BURNS MAY 8, 2005 TO ADD MONTANA TO THE RECA BILL http://www.downwinders.org/RecaBill050905.pdf

3) COPY OF LETTER SEPTEMBER 19, 2005 TO CHAIRMAN OF SENATE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE REQUESTING HEARING ON BILL FILED BY SENATOR BURNS http://www.downwinders.org/Burnslet.pdf

4) COPY OF PRESS RELEASE FROM MONTANA SENATOR BURNS ANNOUNCING HIS REQUEST FOR RECA HEARING http://www.downwinders.org/burnhear.html

5) COPY OF BILL FILED BY IDAHO SENATOR MIKE CRAPO MAY 11, 2005 TO ADD ALL OF IDAHO FOR RECA COVERAGE http://www.downwinders.org/SignedBill_Statement.pdf

6) WHERE'S ORRIN?