Atomic Civilians Recognition and Compensation Act

Medal and $75,000 for atomic workers

This bill would create a commemorative medal for civilian employees and contractor workers who directly worked on atomic detonations, cleanup of atmospheric detonations, weapon-accident cleanups, or operational WWII radiation exposure. You would be able to request the medal, and the Defense Secretary would set an application form, require supporting proof, and could issue the medal to a next-of-kin if the eligible person died. The bill would also create, subject to available appropriations, a program to pay a one-time $75,000 award to current or former civilian employees or contractor employees who directly cleaned up radioactive material from an atmospheric detonation or an atomic-weapon accident and later were diagnosed with a listed disease. Before any payment, the Defense Secretary would verify eligibility through documentation and the award would be reduced by any amount you already received under the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act.