[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1283 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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115th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                S. 1283

 To authorize the award of a military service medal to members of the 
  Armed Forces who were exposed to ionizing radiation as a result of 
    participation in the testing of nuclear weapons or under other 
                             circumstances.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                              May 25, 2017

  Mr. Markey introduced the following bill; which was read twice and 
              referred to the Committee on Armed Services

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To authorize the award of a military service medal to members of the 
  Armed Forces who were exposed to ionizing radiation as a result of 
    participation in the testing of nuclear weapons or under other 
                             circumstances.

    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 Service Medal Act''.

SEC. 2. ATOMIC VETERANS SERVICE MEDAL.

    (a) Service Medal Required.--The Secretary of Defense shall design 
and produce a military service medal, to be known as the ``Atomic 
Veterans Service Medal'', to honor retired and former members of the 
Armed Forces who are radiation-exposed veterans.
    (b) Distribution of Medal.--
            (1) Issuance to retired and former members.--At the request 
        of a radiation-exposed veteran, the Secretary of Defense shall 
        issue the Atomic Veterans Service Medal to the veteran.
            (2) Issuance to next-of-kin.--In the case of a radiation-
        exposed veteran who is deceased, the Secretary may provide for 
        issuance of the Atomic Veterans Service Medal to the next-of-
        kin of the person.
            (3) Application.--The Secretary shall prepare and 
        disseminate as appropriate an application by which radiation-
        exposed veterans and their next-of-kin may apply to receive the 
        Atomic Veterans Service Medal.
    (c) Radiation Exposed Veteran Defined.--In this section, the term 
``radiation-exposed veteran'' has the meaning given such term in 
section 1112(c)(3) of title 38, United States Code.
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