Downwinder Commemoration Act of 2025

Key Points

• This bill, introduced by Vasquez, would create three memorial plaques to honor people in New Mexico known as "Downwinders." These are families who lived near the site of the world's first atomic bomb test in 1945 and were exposed to dangerous radiation.
• The plaques would be placed at White Sands Missile Range, Holloman Air Force Base, and White Sands National Park. These locations are near where the "Trinity" test happened, which caused generations of health problems like cancer and infertility for local residents.
• If passed, the government would have one year to design and install the plaques in areas where the public can see them. This is meant to officially recognize the suffering of these communities, which many feel has been ignored for decades.

Impact Analysis

Govbase has not yet run an impact analysis on this legislation.