House
Resolution
108
-
Introduced
HOUSE
RESOLUTION
NO.
108
BY
GASSMAN
A
Resolution
recognizing
July
16,
2016,
as
Iowa
Atomic
1
Veterans
Day.
2
WHEREAS,
as
a
result
of
the
Manhattan
Project,
the
3
United
States
conducted
the
Trinity
nuclear
test,
the
4
first
detonation
of
a
nuclear
device,
in
New
Mexico
on
5
July
16,
1945;
and
6
WHEREAS,
over
200,000
American
service
members,
7
including
Iowans,
participated
in
aboveground
nuclear
8
tests
between
1945
and
1962,
were
part
of
the
United
9
States
military
occupation
forces
in
Japan
in
or
around
10
Hiroshima
and
Nagasaki
before
1946,
or
were
held
as
a
11
prisoner
of
war
in
or
near
Hiroshima
or
Nagasaki;
and
12
WHEREAS,
Iowans
have
been
exposed
to
radiation
due
13
to
their
work
at
the
Ames
Laboratory
at
Iowa
State
14
University
as
part
of
the
Manhattan
Project
and
at
the
15
Burlington
Atomic
Energy
Commission
Plant
at
the
Iowa
16
Army
Ammunition
Plant
located
in
Des
Moines
County;
and
17
WHEREAS,
these
atomic
veterans,
both
military
and
18
civilian,
may
have
been
exposed
to
radiation
as
a
19
result
of
their
service
and,
due
to
that
exposure,
may
20
have
developed
cancer
or
other
medical
conditions;
and
21
WHEREAS,
many
atomic
military
veterans
were
22
prevented
by
secrecy
laws
or
oaths
from
seeking
medical
23
care
or
disability
compensation
from
the
United
States
24
Department
of
Veterans
Affairs
(VA)
for
conditions
25
they
may
have
developed
as
a
result
of
radiation
26
exposure;
and
27
WHEREAS,
in
1996,
the
United
States
Congress
28
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H.R.
108
repealed
the
Nuclear
Radiation
and
Secrecy
Agreements
1
Act,
freeing
atomic
military
veterans
to
describe
their
2
military
involvement
in
nuclear
testing
in
order
to
3
file
for
VA
benefits;
and
4
WHEREAS,
atomic
military
veterans
may
be
eligible
5
for
free
medical
care
from
the
VA
and
compensation
6
in
the
form
of
a
partial
or
full
service-connected
7
disability
allowance,
including
potential
payments
to
8
a
surviving
spouse
or
children;
and
9
WHEREAS,
the
National
Association
of
Atomic
Veterans
10
was
formed
in
1979
to
help
atomic
military
veterans
11
obtain
medical
care
and
assistance;
and
12
WHEREAS,
it
is
altogether
fitting
and
proper
that
13
atomic
veterans
be
recognized
for
their
service
and
14
sacrifice
to
the
nation;
NOW
THEREFORE,
15
BE
IT
RESOLVED
BY
THE
HOUSE
OF
REPRESENTATIVES,
That
16
the
House
of
Representatives
recognizes
July
16,
2016,
17
as
Iowa
Atomic
Veterans
Day.
18
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