Atomic Civilians Recognition and Compensation Act
Summary
What This Bill Does
The Atomic Civilians Recognition and Compensation Act recognizes and compensates civilians who supported the United States atomic and nuclear weapons programs. The Defense Secretary must design and issue an Atomic Civilians Commemorative Service Medal to eligible civilian employees and contractors, including next of kin, if they participated in atomic detonations, cleanup of radioactive material from atmospheric tests, cleanup of atomic weapon accidents, or exposure from operational use of atomic weapons during World War II. The bill also establishes a compensation program, subject to appropriations, for current or former civilian employees and contractor employees who directly participated in cleanup and were later diagnosed with specified cancers or diseases. Awards are reduced by any Radiation Exposure Compensation Act payment.
Who Benefits and How
Civilian atomic weapons workers benefit because the bill creates formal federal recognition for work that was outside the uniformed military award system. Next of kin benefit because they may receive medals for eligible deceased workers. Cleanup workers with covered cancers or diseases benefit if appropriations fund compensation and they can document direct participation and diagnosis. Former nuclear contractors benefit because contractor employees are included rather than limiting eligibility to direct federal employees.
Who Bears the Burden and How
Defense Department awards staff must design the medal, verify eligibility documents, issue medals, and disseminate application information. Defense compensation program staff must review medical and cleanup evidence, administer payments, and offset awards by prior RECA compensation. Federal taxpayers bear the cost of any appropriated compensation and program administration. Applicants bear documentation burdens to prove service, cleanup participation, diagnosis, and next-of-kin status.
Key Provisions
- Creates an Atomic Civilians Commemorative Service Medal for eligible civilian employees and contractors.
- Authorizes medals for next of kin when eligible atomic civilian workers are deceased.
- Establishes a compensation program for eligible cleanup workers with listed cancers or diseases.
- Requires applicants to provide documentation of covered service, cleanup work, diagnosis, or next-of-kin status.
- Requires compensation awards to be offset by prior Radiation Exposure Compensation Act payments.
Evidence Chain:
This summary is generated from the full bill text using AI analysis. Expand "Detailed Analysis" below for identified beneficiaries/burden bearers with clause-level evidence links.
At a Glance
What This Bill Does
Creates a Defense Department medal for civilian atomic-weapons workers and establishes a compensation program for eligible civilian cleanup workers and contractor employees with listed radiation-linked cancers or diseases, subject to appropriations and offsets for RECA payments.
Key Policy Areas
Defense, Veterans, Labor, Healthcare
Primary Purpose
Creates a Defense Department medal for civilian atomic-weapons workers and establishes a compensation program for eligible civilian cleanup workers and contractor employees with listed radiation-linked cancers or diseases, subject to appropriations and offsets for RECA payments.
Policy Domains
Substantive provisions
Identified Gains
- Civilian atomic weapons workers
- Next of kin of atomic civilians
- Civilian cleanup workers with covered cancers
- Former nuclear contractors
Identified Costs
- Defense Department awards staff
- Defense compensation program staff
- Federal taxpayers
- Applicants seeking medals or compensation
Sponsors
Legislative Progress
In CommitteeReferred to the House Committee on Armed Services.
Introduced in House
Ms. Tokuda (for herself, Mr. Case, Ms. Titus, and Mr. …
Stakeholder Effects
cui bono?How this legislation distributes effects. Mention counts reflect frequency, not effect magnitude.
Civilian atomic weapons workers, Civilian cleanup workers with covered cancers
Applicants seeking atomic civilian compensation, Next of kin of atomic civilians
Positive-direction: Next of kin of atomic civilians
Negative-direction: Applicants seeking atomic civilian compensation
Defense Department awards staff, Defense compensation program staff
Bill Structure & Actor Mappings
Who is "The Secretary" in each section?
We use a combination of our own taxonomy and classification in addition to large language models to assess meaning and potential beneficiaries. High confidence means strong textual evidence. Always verify with the original bill text.
Learn more about our methodology