Today is the first annual National Downwinders Day, recognizing the many people across the United States--but especially in the Mountain West--who were affected by radiation exposure from nuclear test explosions in Nevada. Last year the US Senate voted unanimously to honor downwinders with a special day of recognition.
Today is also the 61st anniversary of the nuclear test code-named "Able," the first of 928 nuclear test explosions in Nevada.
There's a great collection of information on the health effects of the resulting atmospheric fallout from the CTBT Organization online here.
There is more work to be done to end the possibility of nuclear testing by anyone, any place, any time.
Please take a moment today to write or call your Senators and ask them to honor the memory of nuclear test and weapons production victims and survivors by improving the federal compensation program for downwinders and by reconsidering and supporting the CTBT.
See the Project for the CTBT Web site for more details.
For further information, see the story "Nation Recognizes Nuclear Test Downwinders."