The Attorney General is also responsible for reviewing applications to determine whether applicants qualify for compensation and establishing procedures for paying claims. The regulation established RECP within Justice’s Civil Division and charged it with administering claims adjudication and compensation under the act. Through the end of fiscal year 2000, RECP received 7,819 applications for compensation. During this period, RECP approved and denied roughly equal numbers of applications, awarding compensation to about 46 percent of the claimants, and denying compensation to about 46 percent. RECA claims are most frequently denied because the disease contracted by the victim is not specifically designated as eligible for compensation under the RECA program. On July 24, 2001, the President signed into law a supplemental appropriations act, which provided the Trust Fund with “. DOJ’s Administrative Costs Fluctuated

As shown in table 6, RECP’s FTE staff levels and administrative costs have fluctuated from the first full year of the program in fiscal year 1993 through the end of fiscal year 2000. Administrative costs were $2.1 million in fiscal year 1993, $1.1 million in fiscal year 1999, and $1.3 million for fiscal year 2000. Certification of the Trust Fund Payments Appears Adequate

Justice has procedures in place to certify that funds are appropriately disbursed from the Trust Fund. Our review of the payment documentation for 30 randomly selected RECA cases, where compensation was awarded, indicated that all payments were made as authorized. Trust Fund Appears to be Used Appropriately

On the basis of our review of a random sample of 30 of the approximately 1,592 RECA payments made from fiscal years 1996 through 2000 where compensation was awarded by RECP (from the Trust Fund) to eligible individuals, we found that the payments were made as authorized to these individuals. Views on RECP’s Outreach Activities Are Mixed

To identify and inform people of their potential eligibility for compensation under the program and to help them apply for compensation, RECP engages in three primary outreach activities. RECP Engages in Outreach Activities

RECP has established an Internet website, conducts onsite visits, and operates a toll-free telephone number for program queries.
What GAO Found

From 1945 through 1962, the United States conducted a series of aboveground atomic weapons tests. Many people exposed to radiation from this nuclear weapons testing program later developed serious diseases, including cancer. To begin the process of making partial restitution to these victims, the President signed into law the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act (RECA) in 1990. RECA established the Radiation Exposure Compensation Trust Fund (Trust Fund), criteria for determining claimant eligibility for compensation, and a program (administered by the Attorney General) to process and adjudicate claims under the act. The Department of Justice (DOJ) established the Radiation Exposure Compensation Program (RECP) within its Civil Division to administer its responsibilities under the act. Through the end of fiscal year 2000, RECP received 7,819 applications for compensation. Roughly equal numbers of applications have been approved and denied, awarding compensation to about 46 percent of the claimants and denying compensation to about 46 percent. RECA claims are most often denied because the victim's disease is not eligible for compensation under the RECA program. The costs for administering RECP have fluctuated from the first full year of program implementation, fiscal year 1993, through fiscal year 2000. For example, administrative costs were $2.1 million in fiscal year 1993 and $1.3 million in fiscal year 2000. DOJ has procedures in place to certify that funds are appropriately disbursed from the Trust Fund. A review of the payment documentation for 30 randomly selected RECA cases in which compensation was awarded indicated that all payments were made as authorized. To identify and inform candidates of their potential eligibility for compensation under the program and to help them apply for funds, RECP engages in three primary outreach programs. The program has established an Internet website, conducts onsite visits to groups and organizations to promote the program, and operates a toll-free telephone line for program queries.