Our organization is dedicated not only to advancing effective measures to reduce and eliminate the enormous dangers posed by nuclear weapons. We also work to support efforts to address the toxic and radioactive legacy of past nuclear weapons testing and production.
From May 17 to 19, a special screening of a new documentary, “First We Bombed New Mexico,” will be available online. It tells the tragic story of the many “downwinders" whose health was adversely affected by the fallout from the July 1945 Trinity nuclear test and their betrayal by the U.S. government.
In particular, thousands of New Mexicans—mostly Hispanic and Native American—were exposed to catastrophic levels of radioactive fallout, never warned, never acknowledged and never helped afterwards.
You can easily watch this film on your phone, iPad, laptop, or desktop by registering here.
REGISTER TO WATCH ON YOUR DEVICE
Alongside this special screening is a panel discussion with the filmmakers and a bipartisan group of members of Congress who are fighting to address this wrong. They are pushing legislation to expand and extend the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act (RECA) to include Trinity downwinders and other communities.
This is an urgent and timely issue as RECA will expire June 7, 2024, unless these advocates win Congressional approval to extend it.
On March 7, the Senate approved S. 3853, which would extend the RECA program for five years to downwinders in Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, and Guam. It would also expand compensation to several populations who were left out of the original program, including uranium workers and residents living in or near areas contaminated by nuclear weapons production-related activities.
Now, House Speaker Mike Johnson must agree to present the Senate bill to the House floor. If he does, it would likely win overwhelming approval.
Please call House Speaker Mike Johnson's office and tell his staff that you:
"strongly urge the House to quickly take up and pass the RECA expansion and extension bill, S. 3853, in the interest of public health and justice for those impacted by the government’s past nuclear testing and nuclear weapons production activities.”
CALL SPEAKER JOHNSON'S OFFICE AT (202) 225-4000.
Thanks for your help and support.