Crapo Announces Idaho Downwinder as Guest to State of the Union

Washington, D.C.--U.S. Senator Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) announced his guest for the 2024 State of the Union as Tona Henderson, of Emmett, Idaho, and head of the Idaho Downwinders.  Tona has been a leading advocate for expansion of the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act (RECA) to include Idaho victims of above-ground nuclear weapons testing fallout from the 1950s and 1960s.  Tona’s birthplace of Gem County, Idaho, received the third-highest amount of fallout in the nation according to a 1997 National Cancer Institute study, but victims from Idaho have yet to be compensated.

“Tona has been a tireless advocate for Idaho Downwinders and our work in Congress to ensure all victims of Cold War era above ground weapons testing receive the compensation they rightfully deserve,” said Crapo.  “Her engagement has been critical in telling the true, personal stories of Idahoans who have suffered without recompense.  Tona has been an indisputable partner in moving these efforts forward, and her attendance at the State of the Union is one small way to show the fight is not over. I look forward to the day we can celebrate the necessary updates and commemorate those who did not live to see it.”

"I am honored to be invited to the State of the Union Address to represent Idaho Downwinders,” said Henderson.  “Many thanks to Senator Crapo for all the hard work on behalf of Idaho Downwinders.  While in Washington, D.C., this week, we will be meeting with congressional staffers and answering any questions they might have about RECA."

Senator Crapo and Tona Henderson before the start of a June 2018 Senate Judiciary Committee Hearing to consider expansion and changes to the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act.

Crapo is a longtime Senate lead of expanding the RECA program.  In 2022, Crapo was successful in securing an extension of the RECA program for two years, allowing more individuals more time to apply for compensation.  In July 2023, the U.S. Senate passed, by a vote of 61-37, an amendment to the Fiscal Year 2024 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) to strengthen RECA.  The program would have been expanded to include Idaho victims.  Later, in December, the amendment was stripped from the conference report of the NDAA.  The program is set to expire this year.

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