Radiated Veterans of America

The 110th Congress is now in session. Follow and Contact House Members at www.house.gov and the Senate at www.senate.gov. Veterans Committee Chairs are Rep. Bob Filner, for the House of Representatives and Sen. Daniel Akaka, for the Senate.

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Radiated Veterans of America, pursuant to its IRS 501(c) (19) status is empowered to lobby for and influence legislation.

Radiated Veterans of America, Inc. also stands ready to assist passing laws that will aid other Veterans in need, especially those affected by the nation's ABC (Atomic-Biological-Chemical) programs, mostly carried out in secret, and many times without the Veteran's knowlege.

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HR 3794 IH

110th CONGRESS

1st Session

H. R. 3794

To improve the availability of benefits for veterans and the surviving spouses of veterans who were exposed while in military service to ionizing radiation, and for other purposes.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

October 10, 2007

Mr. FILNER introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned

A BILL

To improve the availability of benefits for veterans and the surviving spouses of veterans who were exposed while in military service to ionizing radiation, and for other purposes.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the `Recognition of Forgotten Atomic Veterans and their Surviving Spouses Act of 2007'.

SEC. 2. IMPROVED ACCESS FOR VETERANS AND SURVIVING SPOUSES TO BENEFITS UNDER RADIATION EXPOSURE COMPENSATION ACT.

(a) Identification of Living Atomic Veterans and Surviving Spouses of Deceased Atomic Veterans- The Attorney General shall--

(1) obtain from the files of the Operations Office of the Department of Energy in Nevada records showing the identity of all atomic veterans;

(2) with respect to each atomic veteran for whom records are obtained under paragraph (1), use the service serial number of that veteran to obtain the veteran's social security number;

(3) with respect to each such atomic veteran who is living--

(A) use that veteran's social security number to locate the veteran; and

(B) advise that veteran of the provisions of the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act, including the right of the veteran to file a claim under that Act; and

(4) with respect to each such atomic veteran who is deceased--

(A) use that veteran's social security number to locate the surviving spouse of the veteran (if any); and

(B) if a surviving spouse is located, advise that surviving spouse of the provisions of the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act, including the right of the surviving spouse to file a claim under that Act.

(b) Assistance in Filing Claims- The Attorney General shall assist any atomic veteran or surviving spouse identified under subsection (a)(3) or (a)(4), respectively, in filing a claim under the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act, if the atomic veteran or surviving spouse requests such assistance.

(c) Assitance From Other Agencies- The heads of other Departments and agencies of the United States shall assist the Attorney General as necessary to enable the Attorney General to carry out the provisions of this section, including assistance in providing access to records needed for the Attorney General to carry out this section.

(d) Atomic Veterans- For purposes of this section, the term `atomic veteran' means a person who while serving in the Armed Forces was exposed to ionizing radiation or fallout from the atmospheric detonation of a nuclear device.

SEC. 3. ADDITIONAL CONDITIONS PRESUMED TO BE SERVICE-CONNECTED WHEN APPEARING IN RADIATION-EXPOSED VETERANS.

For purposes of paragraph (1) of section 1112(c) of title 38, United States Code, any disease covered as of the date of the enactment of this Act under section 3.309 or 3.311 of title 38 of the Code of Federal Regulations shall be considered to be a disease specified in paragraph (2) of section 1112(c) of title 38, United States Code.

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HR 3795 IH

110th CONGRESS

1st Session

H. R. 3795

To amend title 38, United States Code, to provide that veterans of service in the 1991 Persian Gulf War and subsequent conflicts shall be considered to be radiation-exposed veterans for purposes of the service-connection of certain diseases and disabilities, and for other purposes.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

October 10, 2007

Mr. FILNER introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs

A BILL

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the `You Were There, You Get Care Act of 2007'.

SEC. 2. RADIATION EXPOSURE PRESUMPTIONS FOR VETERANS WHO SERVED IN THE 1991 PERSIAN GULF WAR AND SUBSEQUENT CONFLICTS.

(a) Presumptions- Section 1112(c) of title 38, United States Code, is amended--

(1) by adding at the end of paragraph (2) the following new paragraph:

`(V) Any other disease that is covered under section 3.309 or 3.311 of title 38 of the Code of Federal Regulations and any other disease found by the Secretary to result from exposure to depleted uranium or the by-products of the burn-off that occurs when a depleted uranium munition penetrates a target.'; and

(2) by adding at the end of paragraph (3)(B) the following new clause:

`(v) Service during the Persian Gulf War or any subsequent conflict in which depleted uranium munitions are used, if that service is in the theater of operations of that war or conflict or involved the clean-up or servicing of vehicles or equipment that had been in such a theater of operations.'.

(b) Independent Civilian Medical Study- The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall provide for the conduct by civilian medical entities independent of the Department of Defense and the Department of Veterans Affairs of in-depth medical study to determine other diseases (in addition to those covered by section 1112(c) of title 38, United States Code, as amended by subsection (a)(1)) that may result from exposure to depleted uranium. Upon receipt of the report providing the results of that independent study, the Secretary shall transmit a copy of the report to the Committees on Veterans' Affairs of the Senate and House of Representatives.

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HR 4052 IH

110th CONGRESS

1st Session

H. R. 4052

To amend title 38, United States Code, to revise the eligibility criteria for presumption of service-connection of certain diseases and disabilities for veterans exposed to ionizing radiation during military service, and for other purposes.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

November 1, 2007

Mr. ABERCROMBIE (for himself, Mrs. BOYDA of Kansas, Ms. BORDALLO, Mr. CLAY, Mr. FILNER, Mr. GORDON of Tennessee, Mr. HINCHEY, and Mr. JEFFERSON) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs

A BILL

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the `Atomic Veterans Relief Act'.

SEC. 2. ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA FOR PRESUMPTION OF SERVICE-CONNECTION RESULTING FROM EXPOSURE TO IONIZING RADIATION DUE TO OPEN-AIR NUCLEAR TESTING.

Section 1112(c)(3)(B) of title 38, United States Code, is amended by inserting before the period at the end of clause (i) the following: `or exposure to ionizing radiation due to residual contamination resulting from such a detonation'.

SEC. 3. REQUIREMENT TO ALLOW SERVICE-CONNECTION FOR DISABILITIES OF VETERANS EXPOSED TO IONIZING RADIATION WHILE IN MILITARY SERVICE TO BE ESTABLISHED WITHOUT DOSE RECONSTRUCTION RECORD.

Section 1154 of title 38, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection:

`(c)(1) The Secretary shall include in the regulations pertaining to service-connection of disabilities referred to in subsection (a) additional provisions to ensure, in the case of a claim by a radiation-exposed veteran for service-connection of a nonpresumptive disability, that the procedures for establishment of whether the disability is service-connected do not require imputation to the veteran, through a process known as dose reconstruction, of any particular level of exposure to ionizing radiation.

`(2) For purposes of this subsection:

`(A) The term `radiation-exposed veteran' has the meaning given that term in section 1112(c)(3)(A) of this title.

`(B) The term `nonpresumptive disability' means a disability not specified in section 1112(c)(2) of this title.'.

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