Unfinished business: Radiation Exposure Compensation Act (RECA) for post-1971 U.S. uranium underground miners

J Health Soc Policy. 2004;19(4):45-59. doi: 10.1300/j045v19n04_03.

Abstract

Congress enacted the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act (RECA) in 1990 and amended it in 2000. Included for compensation were underground uranium miners who developed health problems related to radiation exposures. Neither the 1990 Act nor the 2000 Amendments covered post-1971 workers. In this article, we will examine regulatory history and scientific evidence used for the passage of RECA for the pre-1972 miners and will present evidence supporting the inclusion of the post-1971 workers.

MeSH terms

  • Compensation and Redress / legislation & jurisprudence*
  • Humans
  • Mining*
  • Occupational Exposure / economics*
  • Radiation Injuries* / economics
  • United States
  • Uranium* / poisoning

Substances

  • Uranium