[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1681 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
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118th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 1681
To amend the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act with respect to claims
relating to uranium mining.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
May 18, 2023
Ms. Lummis introduced the following bill; which was read twice and
referred to the Committee on Finance
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act with respect to claims
relating to uranium mining.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Uranium Miners and Workers Act of
2023''.
SEC. 2. CLAIMS RELATING TO URANIUM MINING.
(a) In General.--Subparagraph (A) of section 5(a)(1) of the
Radiation Exposure Compensation Act (Public Law 101-426; 42 U.S.C. 2210
note) is amended to read as follows:
``(A) that individual--
``(i) was employed--
``(I) in a uranium mine or uranium
mill (including any individual who was
employed in the transport of uranium
ore or vanadium-uranium ore from such
mine or mill) located in Arizona,
Colorado, Idaho, New Mexico, North
Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Texas,
Utah, Washington, Wyoming, or any other
State for which the Attorney General
makes a determination for inclusion of
eligibility; and
``(II) at any time during the
period beginning on January 1, 1942,
and ending on December 31, 1978; and
``(ii)(I) was a miner exposed to 40 or more
working level months of radiation or worked for
at least 1 year during the period described
under clause (i)(II) and submits written
medical documentation that the individual,
after that exposure, developed lung cancer, a
nonmalignant respiratory disease, renal cancer,
or any other chronic renal disease, including
nephritis and kidney tubal tissue injury; or
``(II) was a miller, ore transporter, or
core driller who worked for at least 1 year
during the period described under clause
(i)(II) and submits written medical
documentation that the individual, after that
exposure, developed lung cancer, a nonmalignant
respiratory disease, renal cancer, or any other
chronic renal disease, including nephritis and
kidney tubal tissue injury;''.
(b) Transfer of Funds.--For individuals who are eligible for
payments described in subparagraph (A) of section 5(a)(1) of the
Radiation Exposure Compensation Act (Public Law 101-426; 42 U.S.C. 2210
note), as amended by subsection (a), the Secretary of the Treasury
shall transfer, not later than 60 days after the date of enactment of
this Act, $475,000,000 to the Radiation Exposure Compensation Trust
Fund established under section 3 of the Radiation Exposure Compensation
Act, out of unobligated amounts appropriated for purposes of
coronavirus response under any of the following:
(1) The Coronavirus Preparedness and Response Supplemental
Appropriations Act, 2020 (Public Law 116-123; 134 Stat. 146).
(2) The Families First Coronavirus Response Act (Public Law
116-127; 134 Stat. 178).
(3) The CARES Act (Public Law 116-136; 134 Stat. 281).
(4) The Paycheck Protection Program and Health Care
Enhancement Act (Public Law 116-139; 134 Stat. 620).
(5) Divisions M and N of the Consolidated Appropriations
Act, 2021 (Public Law 116-260; 134 Stat. 1182).
(6) The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (Public Law 117-2;
135 Stat. 4).
(7) An amendment made by a provision of law described in
any of paragraphs (1) through (6).
SEC. 3. REAUTHORIZATION OF THE RADIATION EXPOSURE COMPENSATION ACT.
(a) In General.--Section 3(d) of the Radiation Exposure
Compensation Act (Public Law 101-426; 42 U.S.C. 2210 note) is amended
by striking the first sentence and inserting ``The Fund shall terminate
on the date that is 4 years after the date of enactment of the Uranium
Miners and Workers Act of 2023.''.
(b) Limitation on Claims.--Section 8(a) of the Radiation Exposure
Compensation Act (Public Law 101-426; 42 U.S.C. 2210 note) is amended
by striking ``not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of the
RECA Extension Act of 2022'' and inserting ``not later than 4 years
after the date of enactment of the Uranium Miners and Workers Act of
2023''.
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