HR 134 IH

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.

January 3, 2001

Mrs. MINK of Hawaii introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs

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.

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

SECTION 1. ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA FOR PRESUMPTION OF SERVICE-CONNECTION RESULTING FROM EXPOSURE TO IONIZING RADIATION DUE TO OPEN-AIR NUCLEAR TESTING.

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

(1) in paragraph (3)(B)(i), by inserting before the period at the end the following: `or exposure to ionzing radiation due to residual contamination resulting from such a detonation'; and

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

`(4) For purposes of paragraph (3)(B)(i), onsite participation by any individual in a test involving the atmospheric detonation of a nuclear device and any exposure to ionzing radiation due to residual contamination resulting from such a detonation shall be determined without regard to whether any particular level of radiation exposure was measured for that individual.'.

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