I 
109TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 4183 
To improve the availability of benefits for veterans and the surviving spouses 
of veterans who were exposed while in military service to ionizing radi-
ation, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
NOVEMBER 1, 2005 
Mr. FILNER introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Com-
mittee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committee on Veterans’ 
Affairs, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in 
each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdic-
tion of the committee concerned 
A BILL 
To improve the availability of benefits for veterans and the 
surviving spouses of veterans who were exposed while 
in military service to ionizing radiation, and for other 
purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Recognition of Forgot-
ten Atomic Veterans and their Surviving Spouses Act of 
2005’’.
SEC. 2. IMPROVED ACCESS FOR VETERANS AND SURVIVING 
SPOUSES TO BENEFITS UNDER RADIATION 
EXPOSURE COMPENSATION ACT. 
(a) IDENTIFICATION OF LIVING ATOMIC VETERANS 
AND SURVIVING SPOUSES OF DECEASED ATOMIC VET-
ERANS.—The Attorney General shall— 
(1) obtain from the files of the Operations Of-
fice of the Department of Energy in Nevada records 
showing the identity of all atomic veterans; 
(2) with respect to each atomic veteran for 
whom records are obtained under paragraph (1), use 
the service serial number of that veteran to obtain 
the veteran’s social security number; 
(3) with respect to each such atomic veteran 
who is living— 
(A) use that veteran’s social security num-
ber to locate the veteran; and 
(B) advise that veteran of the provisions of 
the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act, in-
cluding the right of the veteran to file a claim 
under that Act; and 
(4) with respect to each such atomic veteran 
who is deceased— 
(A) use that veteran’s social security num-
ber to locate the surviving spouse of the veteran 
(if any); and
(B) if a surviving spouse is located, advise 
that surviving spouse of the provisions of the 
Radiation Exposure Compensation Act, includ-
ing the right of the surviving spouse to file a 
claim under that Act. 
(b) ASSISTANCE IN FILING CLAIMS.—The Attorney 
General shall assist any atomic veteran or surviving 
spouse identified under subsection (a)(3) or (a)(4), respec-
tively, in filing a claim under the Radiation Exposure 
Compensation Act, if the atomic veteran or surviving 
spouse requests such assistance. 
(c) ASSITANCE FROM OTHER AGENCIES.—The heads 
of other Departments and agencies of the United States 
shall assist the Attorney General as necessary to enable 
the Attorney General to carry out the provisions of this 
section, including assistance in providing access to records 
needed for the Attorney General to carry out this section. 
(d) ATOMIC VETERANS.—For purposes of this sec-
tion, the term ‘‘atomic veteran’’ means a person who while 
serving in the Armed Forces was exposed to ionizing radi-
ation or fallout from the atmospheric detonation of a nu-
clear device.
SEC. 3. ADDITIONAL CONDITIONS PRESUMED TO BE SERV-
ICE-CONNECTED WHEN APPEARING IN RADI-
ATION-EXPOSED VETERANS. 
For purposes of paragraph (1) of section 1112(c) of 
title 38, United States Code, any disease covered as of 
the date of the enactment of this Act under section 3.309 
or 3.311 of title 38 of the Code of Federal Regulations 
shall be considered to be a disease specified in paragraph 
(2) of section 1112(c) of title 38, United States Code. 
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