Enewetak Atoll Cleanup Radiation Study Act
Bill: H.R.2530 | Sponsor: Rep. Nehls, Troy E. (R-TX)
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security

Summary:
Enewetak Atoll Cleanup Radiation Study Act
This bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs to seek to enter an agreement with the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine to conduct a study and report on the level of radiation exposure experienced by members of the Armed Forces who participated in the cleanup of Enewetak Atoll between January 1, 1977, and December 31, 1980.

To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to seek to enter into an 
  agreement with the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and 
   Medicine to conduct a study on radiation exposure relating to the 
           cleanup of Enewetak Atoll, and for other purposes.

    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 ``Enewetak Atoll Cleanup Radiation 
Study Act''.

SEC. 2. STUDY ON RADIATION EXPOSURE RELATING TO CLEANUP OF ENEWETAK 
              ATOLL.

    (a) Study.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall seek to enter 
into an agreement with the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, 
and Medicine to conduct a study on the level of radiation exposure 
experienced by members of the Armed Forces who participated in the 
cleanup of Enewetak Atoll during the period beginning on January 1, 
1977, and ending on December 31, 1980.
    (b) Matters Included.--The study conducted pursuant to subsection 
(a) shall include the following:
            (1) An evaluation of--
                    (A) the completeness and adequacy of the assessment 
                titled ``Radiation Dose Assessment for Military 
                Personnel of the Enewetak Atoll Cleanup Project (1977-
                1980)'' published by the Defense Threat Reduction 
                Agency in April 2018, including with respect to the 
                calculation of the estimated upper-bound radiation dose 
                received by members of the Armed Forces who 
                participated in the cleanup of Enewetak Atoll during 
                the period beginning on January 1, 1977, and ending on 
                December 31, 1980;
                    (B) whether information exists to conduct a revised 
                or alternative radiation dose assessment that would 
                consider exposures and exposure pathways that were not 
                part of the radiation dose assessment described in 
                subparagraph (A); and
                    (C) whether conducting such a revised or 
                alternative radiation dose assessment is feasible and 
                would likely yield substantively improved estimates of 
                the radiation dose received by members of the Armed 
                Forces who participated in the cleanup of Enewetak 
                Atoll.
            (2) If the study determines under paragraph (1)(C) that a 
        revised or alternative radiation dose assessment is feasible 
        and would likely yield substantively improved estimates of the 
        radiation dose received by members of the Armed Forces who 
        participated in the cleanup of Enewetak Atoll, an evaluation of 
        conducting such assessment, including--
                    (A) identification of the sources of the data for 
                such assessment, including a delineation of the 
                protocol to be used in conducting such assessment;
                    (B) an estimate of the time and funding needed to 
                conduct such assessment;
                    (C) identification of the major sources of 
                uncertainty in such assessment and how such sources may 
                affect the estimates generated by such assessment; and
                    (D) identification of the best means to carry out 
                such assessment.
    (c) Report.--Not later than 90 days after the date on which the 
Secretary receives the study conducted pursuant to subsection (a), the 
Secretary shall submit to the Committees on Veterans' Affairs of the 
House of Representatives and the Senate a report on such study, 
including the plans of the Secretary to carry out any actions based on 
the results of such study.
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