[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 142 (Tuesday, November 1, 2005)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E2240-E2241]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




          RECOGNITION OF ATOMIC AND DEPLETED URANIUM VETERANS

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                            HON. BOB FILNER

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, November 1, 2005

  Mr. FILNER. Mr. Speaker, I urge support for two bills I have just 
introduced, H.R. 4183, the

[[Page E2241]]

``Recognition of Forgotten Atomic Veterans and their Surviving Spouses 
Act'' and ``H.R. 4184, the ``You Were There, You Get Care Act.''
  In the preparation of these bills, I am indebted to Earl J. Lee, 
member of the National Association of Atomic Veterans (NAAV) and 
National District VI Chairman of the AMVETS RECA (Radiation Exposure 
Compensation Act) Program. Resolutions supporting the provisions in 
these bills have been passed by the National AMVETS.
  For too long, many Atomic Veterans and veterans exposed to Depleted 
Uranium have been on the outside looking in and wondering why? Were 
they not loyal and faithful in their military service? Do they not 
deserve compensation or care for their illnesses?
  H.R. 4183, the ``Recognition of Forgotten Atomic Veterans and their 
Surviving Spouses Act'', directs the Department of Justice to obtain 
the records of all Atomic Veterans from the Department of Energy 
Operations Office in Nevada. Using these records, they are to locate 
and advise all veterans or their surviving widows of their rights under 
RECA and guide them in filing a claim for the compensation that is due 
them.
  RECA is the program passed by Congress in 1990 (P.L. 101-426) that 
provides compassionate payments to individuals who contract cancers and 
other serious diseases as a result of their exposure to radiation from 
above ground tests of nuclear weapons or from employment in underground 
uranium mines.
  Because the VA did not provide medical care to Atomic Veterans in 
many cases, many died at an early age. So there are thousands of 
widows, many on fixed incomes, who have never heard of RECA and do not 
know that they may be eligible for compensation. My bill will help them 
apply and receive substantial compassionate payments to ease their 
burden.
  Depleted uranium is an incredibly effective weapon, but its residue 
has a half-life of 4 billion years and many believe that it is a 
carcinogen. We simply cannot allow another generation of veterans to be 
treated as were the Atomic Veterans! H.R. 4184, the ``You Were There, 
You Get Care Act'', ensures that veterans who served in the 1991 Gulf 
War and subsequent conflicts will be considered ``service-connected 
disabled'' for any illnesses currently covered by RECA and other 
diseases found by the Veterans'' Affairs Secretary to result from DU 
exposure.
  For example, veterans serving in the 1991 Gulf War or those providing 
clean-up or servicing of vehicles or equipment that had been in the 
Persian Gulf, shall be considered as exposed and if they are ill, their 
illnesses shall be deemed ``service-connected'' with the accompanying 
VA health care and VA compensation provided.
  In addition, this bill calls for an in-depth medical study to be 
conducted by independent civilian medical entities, independent of the 
Departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs, to determine other 
diseases that may result from exposure to depleted uranium. A copy of 
the study will be sent to the Senate and House Veterans' Affairs 
Committees.
  We need to ensure that veterans from the Gulf War and all wars waged 
since will not die an early and painful death without the health care 
and compensation they need and deserve.
  Taken together, H.R. 4183, and H.R. 4184 makes a bold statement--that 
when young men and women volunteer for service, they can count on their 
government to compensate them and care for them if their service lends 
to illnesses. These assurances are so important and so necessary and 
should aid in the recruitment and retention of military personnel.

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