A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to provide disability and death benefits to veterans (and survivors of such veterans) exposed to ionizing radiation during the detonation of a nuclear device in connection with the U.S. nuclear weapons testing program or the American occupation of Hiroshima or Nagasaki, Japan; and for other purposes.
Veterans' Radiation Exposure Disability and Death Benefits Act of 1987 - Sets forth findings, including the following: (1) a significant portion of the veterans present at nuclear detonations were exposed to ionizing radiation which was measured by what proved to be an inaccurate method of determining the amount of such dosage; (2) the present process for adjudicating claims by veterans based on such radiation exposure has not resulted in fair resolution of such claims, due in part to the inaccurate measurement of health risk caused by such radiation dosages; and (3) certain body organs have shown a high susceptibility to the induction of cancers by ionizing radiation, creating a much higher possibility of cancer in various organs and areas of the body.
Sets forth purposes of this Act, including: (1) to provide a monthly death or disability benefit for veterans who have died or are suffering from illnesses strongly or moderately associated with radiation exposure after participating in the nuclear weapons testing program or in the American occupation of Hiroshima or Nagasaki, Japan, during and after World War II; and (2) to provide special consideration of claims for compensation for veterans suffering from diseases somewhat associated with such radiation exposure.
Amends Federal veterans' benefits provisions to provide either a monthly disability or a monthly death benefit to a veteran who has died or is suffering from a disease based on the Government's testing of nuclear weapons or on the American occupation of Hiroshima or Nagasaki. Specifies the diseases based on such radiation exposure for which such benefits shall be paid, requiring manifestation of such disease within a specified period following exposure to such ionizing radiation. Bases the rates of compensation to be paid on the rates of compensation for service-connected death or disability benefits. Requires the Administrator to give special consideration to claims for compensation or dependency and indemnity compensation based on such radiation exposure and involving specific forms of cancer manifesting themselves within five or more years after exposure.
Denies the payment of any such benefits when there is affirmative evidence that the disease was not incurred as a result of a veteran's exposure to testing or involvement in the occupation of Hiroshima or Nagasaki.
Treats any benefits paid under this Act as service-connected benefits for purposes of the applicability of other veterans' benefits provisions.
Defines a veteran's estimated service-related radiation exposure for purposes of adjudicating a claim for benefits provided under this Act.
Extends existing provisions concerning veterans' eligibility for hospital care on the basis of radiation exposure until termination of the provisions of this Act.
Amends the Veterans' Dioxin and Radiation Exposure Compensation Standards Act to require a certain advisory committee's report concerning the possible adverse effects resulting from exposure to ionizing radiation to be forwarded to the Senate and House Veterans' Affairs Committees.
Terminates the provisions of this Act with respect to any claim for benefits filed after September 30, 1990.
Indefinitely postponed by Senate by Unanimous Consent.
Introduced in Senate
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans.
Committee on Veterans requested executive comment from VA, OMB.
Committee on Veterans requested executive comment from VA.
Committee on Veterans requested executive comment from Defense Nuclear Agency.
Committee on Veterans requested executive comment from VA.
Committee on Veterans. Hearings held.
Committee on Veterans. Provisions of measure incorporated into measure S. 9 ordered to be reported.
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