Mark Takai Atomic Veterans Healthcare Parity Act

Bill: 115-s-2821
Sponsor: full_name: Sen. Smith, Tina [D-MN]
Introduced: 2018-05-10
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Latest action: action_date: 2018-05-10
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

Summaries:
action_date: 2018-05-10
action_desc: Introduced in Senate
text: <p><strong>Mark Takai Atomic Veterans Healthcare Parity Act</strong></p> <p>This bill includes veterans who participated in the cleanup of Enewetak Atoll in the Marshall Islands anytime from 1977 through 1980 as radiation exposed veterans for purposes of the Department of Veterans Affairs presumption of service-connection for specified cancers. These veterans thereby become eligible for the same health care and other benefits given to service members who were involved in active nuclear tests.</p> <p>Under a presumption of service-connection, specific disabilities diagnosed in certain veterans are presumed to have been caused by the circumstances of their military service. Health care benefits and disability compensation may then be awarded.</p> </p>

tv_txt: II 115th CONGRESS 2d Session S. 2821 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES May 10, 2018 Ms. Smith (for herself, Mr. Tillis , Mr. Wyden , Mr. Merkley , Ms. Baldwin , Mr. King , Ms. Warren , Mrs. Gillibrand , Ms. Klobuchar , Mr. Brown , Mr. Tester , Mr. Coons , and Ms. Hirono ) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs A BILL To amend title 38, United States Code, to provide for the treatment of veterans who participated in the cleanup of Enewetak Atoll as radiation exposed veterans for purposes of the presumption of service-connection of certain disabilities by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Mark Takai Atomic Veterans Healthcare Parity Act . 2. Treatment of veterans who participated in cleanup of Enewetak Atoll as radiation exposed veterans for purposes of presumption of service-connection of certain disabilities by Department of Veterans Affairs Section 1112(c)(3)(B) of title 38, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new clause: (v) Cleanup of Enewetak Atoll during the period beginning on January 1, 1977, and ending on December 31, 1980. . 3. Effective date The amendment made by section 2 shall take effect on the day after the date of the enactment of this Act.