[Congressional Bills 103th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2365 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

103d CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                S. 2365

 To provide for a study of the health consequences for the spouses and 
  descendants of atomic veterans of the exposure of such veterans to 
                          ionizing radiation.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             August 5, 1994

  Mr. Wellstone (for himself and Mr. Simon) introduced the following 
 bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' 
                                Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To provide for a study of the health consequences for the spouses and 
  descendants of atomic veterans of the exposure of such veterans to 
                          ionizing radiation.

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

SECTION 1. STUDY OF HEALTH CONSEQUENCES FOR FAMILY MEMBERS OF ATOMIC 
              VETERANS OF EXPOSURE OF ATOMIC VETERANS TO IONIZING 
              RADIATION.

    (a) Agreement for Study.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs, in 
consultation with the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Health 
and Human Services, shall seek to enter into an agreement with the 
Medical Follow-up Agency of the Institute of Medicine of the National 
Academy of Sciences under which agreement the agency shall carry out 
the study described in subsection (c).
    (b) Alternative Organization.--If the Secretary is unable within a 
reasonable period of time (as determined by the Secretary) to enter 
into an agreement with the agency referred to in subsection (a) to 
carry out the study required under that subsection, the Secretary shall 
seek to enter into an agreement to carry out the study with another 
appropriate organization or entity that--
            (1) is not part of the Government;
            (2) operates as a not-for-profit entity; and
            (3) has an expertise and objectivity comparable to that of 
        the agency referred to in subsection (a).
    (c) Nature of Study.--The purpose of the study referred to in 
subsection (a) is to determine the nature and extent, if any, of the 
relationship between the exposure of veterans described in subsection 
(d) to ionizing radiation and the following:
            (1) Genetic defects and illnesses in the children and 
        grandchildren of such veterans.
            (2) Untoward pregnancy outcomes experienced by the spouses 
        of such veterans, including stillbirths, miscarriages, and 
        neonatal deaths.
    (d) Covered Veterans.--Subsection (c) applies to--
            (1) any veteran who was exposed (as determined by the 
        Secretary) to ionizing radiation as a result of--
                    (A) participation while on active duty in the Armed 
                Forces in an atmospheric nuclear test that included the 
                detonation of a nuclear device;
                    (B) service in the Armed Forces with the United 
                States occupation force of Hiroshima or Nagasaki, 
                Japan, before July 1, 1946; or
                    (C) internment or detention as a prisoner of war of 
                Japan before that date in circumstances providing the 
                opportunity for exposure to ionizing radiation 
                comparable to the exposure of individuals who served 
                with such occupation force before that date; and
            (2) any other veteran that the Secretary designates for 
        coverage under the study.
    (e) Report.--Not later than each of March 1, 1995, October 1, 1995, 
October 1, 1996, and October 1, 1997, the Secretary shall submit to the 
Committees on Veterans' Affairs of the Senate and the House of 
Representatives a report on the results of the study carried out under 
this section.
    (f) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated such sums as may be necessary to carry out the study 
required under this section.
                                 <all>