FOR RELEASE: January 25, 2002

Evans Says Atomic Veterans Win Victory with New Regulations Providing Service-connection of Cancers Associated with Ionizing Radiation Exposure

Regrets Long Delay in Step to Provide Atomic Veterans Justice

Washington, DC – Congressman Lane Evans (D-IL), the Ranking Democratic Member of the House Veterans Affairs Committee, said Atomic Veterans today have a new victory with the publication of regulations establishing a presumption of service-connection for medical conditions associated with their exposure to ionizing radiation during military service.  Evans, a long time advocate for Atomic Veterans, said the newly published regulations in the January 25, 2002, Federal Register, make Atomic Veterans eligible to receive VA compensation for cancers of the bone, brain, colon, lung and ovary, which have been associated with exposure to ionizing radiation. 

In addition to veterans exposed to radiation in Japan during World War II and atmospheric testing of nuclear devices, the new regulations apply a presumption of service-connection for veterans who served during certain time periods at Paducah, Kentucky; Portsmouth, Ohio; Oak Ridge, Tennessee; and, Amichitka Island, Alaska.  Survivors of veterans who died of these cancers, may apply for Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) benefits.  

Evans said the presumption of service-connection was “long overdue.” Although the regulations will be not be effective until March 26, 2002, Evans urged Atomic Veterans or their survivors who have not filed claims for these conditions to do so immediately.  Given the large backlog of claims currently pending at VA regional offices and the age of many Atomic Veterans, Evans encouraged claimants to submit medical evidence of these cancers with their application in order to speed the handling of their claims.  Applications for service-connected compensation can be filed over the Internet by clicking the “On-line Application” box for Compensation and Pension at VA’s website: www.va.gov. 

 “Scientific experts studying the effects of radiation have concluded that persons exposed to radiation are at an increased risk for certain kinds of cancers.  Civilian employees of the Department of Energy as well as other civilians exposed to radiation are eligible to receive compensation for radiation-related illnesses.  Veterans exposed to radiation deserve to have their claims for associated illnesses recognized without having being forced to jump through hoops related to imperfect reconstruction of the doses they may have received,” said Evans.  

The Illinois Congressman has carried on a long-time fight on behalf of veterans for recognition of diseases associated with radiation exposure.  Last year he introduced H.R. 1957, the Justice for Atomic Veterans Act of 2001 with Congresswoman Shelley Berkley (D-NV) to provide a statutory presumption of service-connection.   Evans’ late father was an Atomic Veteran.  Evans said he welcomed today’s action and called it “an important step forward in the fight to provide justice to our nation’s Atomic Veterans”. 

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