H.R. 6901

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 6901 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 6901

To establish the Atomic Civilians Commemorative Service Medal, and for 
other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

December 18, 2025

Ms. Tokuda (for herself, Mr. Case, Ms. Titus, and Mr. Horsford) 
introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on 
Armed Services

_______________________________________________________________________

A BILL

To establish the Atomic Civilians Commemorative Service Medal, 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 ``Atomic Civilians Recognition and 
Compensation Act''.

SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT OF THE ATOMIC CIVILIANS COMMEMORATIVE SERVICE 
MEDAL.

(a) In General.--The Secretary of Defense shall design and produce 
a commemorative service medal, to be known as the ``Atomic Civilians 
Commemorative Service Medal'' (in this section referred to as the 
``Medal''), to commemorate the service and sacrifice of civilian 
employees and contractors of the Department of Defense and other 
Federal agencies who were instrumental in the development of our 
Nation's atomic and nuclear weapons programs.
(b) Eligibility Requirements.--
(1) Eligibility.--Current or former civilian employees, and 
former employees of any contractor, of the United States 
Government shall be eligible for the Medal if such individual--
(A) directly participated in the detonation of an 
atomic weapon or device;
(B) directly participated in the cleanup of 
radioactive material resulting from any such 
atmospheric detonation;
(C) directly participated in the cleanup of 
radioactive material resulting from an accident 
associated with an atomic weapon; or
(D) was exposed to ionizing radiation resulting 
from the operational use of atomic weapons during World 
War II.
(2) Documentation.--The Secretary of Defense may require 
individuals to submit supporting documentation for the medal 
authorized in subsection (a) to determine eligibility under 
paragraph (1).
(c) Distribution of Medal.--
(1) Issuance to retired and former civilian employees.--At 
the request of an eligible individual described under 
subsection (b)(1), the Secretary of Defense shall issue the 
Medal to such individual.
(2) Issuance to next-of-kin.--In the case of am individual 
who is deceased but would otherwise be eligible for the Medal, 
the Secretary may provide for issuance of the Medal to the 
next-of-kin of such individual. If applications for a Medal are 
filed by more than one next of kin of such an individual, the 
Secretary of Defense shall determine which next-of-kin will 
receive the Medal.
(3) Application.--The Secretary shall prepare and 
disseminate as appropriate an application by which eligible 
individuals and their next-of-kin may apply to receive the 
Medal.

SEC. 3. ESTABLISHMENT OF PROGRAM OF COMPENSATION FOR ATOMIC CIVILIANS.

(a) Compensation Program.--The Secretary of Defense shall establish 
a program of compensation for individuals who directly participated in 
the cleanup of radioactive material, subject to the requirements of 
this section.
(b) Eligibility.--
(1) Eligibility.--Subject to the availability of 
appropriations, a current or former civilian employee or a 
current or former employee of a contractor of the United States 
Government--
(A) who directly participated in the cleanup of 
radioactive material resulting from any such 
atmospheric detonation or directly participated in the 
cleanup of radioactive material resulting from an 
accident associated with an atomic weapon; and
(B) who was diagnosed with a disease described in 
paragraph (2)
shall be eligible for an award of $75,000 under the program 
established by subsection (a).
(2) Diseases.--A disease described in this paragraph is any 
of the following:
(A) Leukemia (other than chronic lymphocytic 
leukemia).
(B) Cancer of the thyroid.
(C) Cancer of the breast.
(D) Cancer of the pharynx.
(E) Cancer of the esophagus.
(F) Cancer of the stomach.
(G) Cancer of the small intestine.
(H) Cancer of the pancreas.
(I) Multiple myeloma.
(J) Lymphomas (except Hodgkin's disease).
(K) Cancer of the bile ducts.
(L) Cancer of the gall bladder.
(M) Primary liver cancer (except if cirrhosis or 
hepatitis B is indicated).
(N) Cancer of the salivary gland.
(O) Cancer of the urinary tract.
(P) Bronchiolo-alveolar carcinoma.
(Q) Cancer of the bone.
(R) Cancer of the brain.
(S) Cancer of the colon.
(T) Cancer of the lung.
(U) Cancer of the ovary.
(c) Requirements.--Before paying any award under this section to an 
individual, the Secretary of Defense shall--
(1) require the individual to submit supporting 
documentation to determine eligibility for compensation under 
the program established under this section; and
(2) prepare and disseminate as appropriate an application 
by which current and former civilian employees and current and 
former contractors may apply to receive compensation.
(d) Offset.--The Secretary of Defense shall offset the amount of 
any award under this section by subtracting from such award the amount 
of any payment made to an otherwise eligible individual under the 
Radiation Exposure Compensation Act.
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