SENATOR Edith Deleon Guerrero supports amending the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act or S. 2798 to include the Northern Marianas.
The U.S. Senate bill was introduced on Sept. 22, 2021 by Republican Sen. Mike Crapo of Idaho with the intention of expanding two programs that compensate individuals who were exposed to radiation during certain nuclear testing or uranium mining and subsequently developed medical conditions, including cancers.
The bill would expand the designated areas to include Colorado, Idaho, Montana, New Mexico, and Guam, as well as additional areas in Arizona, Nevada, and Utah.
Additionally, it would increase the amount of compensation awarded to and provides medical benefits for eligible claimants.
Furthermore, it would extend for 19 years following the bill’s enactment the fund that supports this program and the statute of limitations for filing claims.
Currently, the program is set to terminate on July 10, 2022.
“I think it is very important that we take a look at this,” Senator Deleon Guerrero said. “We do understand that a lot of our citizens are dying of cancer and any downwind exposure of any sort of radiation [from the U.S. military nuclear detonations in the Marshall Islands]. I think it’s very important that we take a look at this in the U.S. Congress so that we participate in any kind of compensation for citizens if any sort of downwind effect does affect our citizens,” said Senator Deleon Guerrero in a Senate session on Thursday.
The U.S. Senate bill was brought to the attention of Senate President Jude U. Hofschneider and Speaker Edmund S. Villagomez by Crispin M. Ogo, a former House member from Rota.
Ogo said lawmakers should adopt a joint resolution calling for the inclusion of the CNMI in the federal Radiation Exposure Compensation Act.
Edith Deleon Guerrero
