Advocating for Native American radiation victims

I had a chance to document a group of Native American activists who rode 37 hours on a bus from New Mexico to urge House Speaker Mike Johnson to call a vote on the on the Radiation Exposure Compensation Reauthorization Act. The bill, known as RECA, would would enhance and extend federal aid for radiation victims, many of them who worked in the Uranium mines or lived downwind of the atomic testing facilities (think Oppenheimer). The group appeared with members of the U.S. House of Representatives and held a vigil outside of the U.S. Capitol.

Despite bipartisan support, Johnson is sitting on the bill.

Client: Union of Concerned Scientists

All images © Joe Newman