People Downwind Of 1st Atomic Blast Renew Push For US Payout

The president of the Navajo Nation and New Mexico residents who live downwind from the site of the world’s first atomic blast are among those seeking recognition and compensation from the U.S. government following uranium mining and nuclear testing carried out during the Cold War.

A congressional subcommittee was taking testimony Wednesday about who should be eligible under the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act. Groups and residents have been urging lawmakers to expand the compensation program for years, and advocates say the latest push takes on added weight because the act is set to expire next year. Some say their communities have been plagued by cancer, birth defects and stillbirths.