[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 115 (Thursday, July 11, 2024)]
[Senate]
[Page S4651]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
SA 2308. Ms. LUMMIS submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by
her to the bill S. 4638, to authorize appropriations for fiscal year
2025 for military activities of the Department of Defense, for military
construction, and for defense activities of the Department of Energy,
to prescribe military personnel strengths for such fiscal year, and for
other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:
At the appropriate place, insert the following:
SEC. ___. CLAIMS RELATING TO URANIUM MINING; REAUTHORIZATION
OF THE RADIATION EXPOSURE COMPENSATION ACT.
(a) Short Title.--This section may be cited as the
``Uranium Miners and Workers Act of 2024''.
(b) Claims Relating to Uranium Mining.--
(1) 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 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, 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) 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) 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;''.
(2) 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 paragraph (1), 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:
(A) The Coronavirus Preparedness and Response Supplemental
Appropriations Act, 2020 (Public Law 116-123; 134 Stat. 146).
(B) The Families First Coronavirus Response Act (Public Law
116-127; 134 Stat. 178).
(C) The CARES Act (Public Law 116-136; 134 Stat. 281).
(D) The Paycheck Protection Program and Health Care
Enhancement Act (Public Law 116-139; 134 Stat. 620).
(E) Divisions M and N of the Consolidated Appropriations
Act, 2021 (Public Law 116-260; 134 Stat. 1182).
(F) The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (Public Law 117-2;
135 Stat. 4).
(G) An amendment made by a provision of law described in
any of subparagraphs (A) through (F).
(c) Reauthorization of the Radiation Exposure Compensation
Act.--
(1) 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
2024.''.
(2) 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 2024''.
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