Nevada Veterans Got Sick at a Nuclear Test Site. Federal Benefits Have Not Followed.
Air Force veteran David Crete, 61, didn’t understand why his family had been devastated by illness for decades. His wife suffered three miscarriages. Two daughters developed autoimmune conditions.
His oldest son, now 38, has a benign brain tumor requiring ongoing monitoring. Crete himself has had multiple tumors, and his neurologist attributes the shrinkage on the left side of his brain to radiation exposure.
The answer came in 2015, when Crete reunited with fellow veterans from the Nevada Test and Training Range (NTTR), where the U.S. military conducted nuclear tests. Every man at that reunion was dealing with the same cluster of health problems.
The Radiation Exposure Compensation Act Has Left Nevada Veterans Behind
The Radiation Exposure Compensation Act (RECA), first passed in 1990, created a federal fund to compensate “downwinders” and workers sickened by nuclear testing. But the original law excluded many Nevada Test and Training Range veterans, leaving thousands of service members without a path to benefits.
An expanded RECA reauthorization passed the Senate in 2024 with bipartisan support. It died in the House. Efforts to revive the legislation have continued into 2026, with Nevada’s congressional delegation, including both Democratic and Republican members, aligned in pressing for passage.
“They were all dealing with the same kinds of health problems.”
David Crete, Air Force veteran, Nevada Test and Training Range, reflecting on his 2015 reunion with fellow service members
That cross-party unity is notable in a divided Congress. Nevada’s delegation has framed the issue as a straightforward obligation to veterans who followed orders at a site the federal government chose for nuclear testing.
Why the Bill Keeps Stalling
No member of Congress publicly opposes compensating sick veterans. The legislative bottleneck is in the House, where leadership has not scheduled a floor vote despite Senate passage and wide support. Expanding RECA carries a cost estimate that has made some House budget hawks reluctant, particularly during debates over overall federal spending levels.
Veterans advocates argue that delay has a human cost. Radiation-related cancers and neurological conditions worsen over time. Many affected veterans are in their 60s and 70s. Every year without legislation is a year some claimants die before receiving any compensation.
What you can do now
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Call your House representative at (202) 225-3121 and demand they push House leadership to schedule an RECA expansion vote. Tell them: “Veterans who got sick from nuclear testing at the Nevada Test and Training Range are dying without benefits. Schedule the floor vote now.”
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Call your senators at (202) 224-3121 and ask them to maintain pressure on House leadership. The Senate passed RECA expansion in 2024. Tell your senators to publicly demand the House act before the end of the current session.
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If you are a Nevada resident, contact Rep. Steven Horsford, Rep. Dina Titus, Rep. Susie Lee, or Rep. Mark Amodei directly through congress.gov/members and cite David Crete’s case by name. Personal constituent stories move congressional staff faster than form messages.
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Find other affected veterans or families through the National Association of Atomic Veterans, which tracks RECA legislation and can connect you with active advocacy campaigns and legal resources for filing claims.
Sources
- Veterans exposed to radiation unite Nevada congressional delegation in fight for benefits — Nevada Independent (2026-06-29)
U.S. Department of Justice: Radiation Exposure Compensation Act Program Overview
ProPublica: The Atomic Vets Were Told to Keep Quiet. Decades Later, They’re Still Waiting for Help.
National Association of Atomic Veterans: RECA Legislation Tracker
KFF: How Federal Veterans’ Health Benefits Programs Work and Who They Cover