As Introduced
134th General Assembly
Regular Session S. C. R. No. 1
2021-2022
Senator Schaffer
Cosponsors: Senators Romanchuk, Yuko, Wilson, Brenner, Antonio, Craig
A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
To urge the Congress of the United States to enact the Mark 1
Takai Atomic Veterans Healthcare Parity Act. 2
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE STATE OF OHIO (THE HOUSE OF
REPRESENTATIVES CONCURRING):
WHEREAS, Throughout the state's and the nation's history, 3
brave Ohioans have answered the call of duty and service, 4
defending our freedoms as members of the United States Armed 5
Forces; and 6
WHEREAS, As a result of the Manhattan Project, the United 7
States conducted the Trinity nuclear test, the first detonation 8
of a nuclear device, in New Mexico on July 16, 1945; and 9
WHEREAS, Over two hundred thousand American service 10
members, including Ohioans, participated in above ground nuclear 11
tests between 1945 and 1962, were part of the United States 12
military occupation forces in or around Hiroshima and Nagasaki 13
before 1946, or were held as a prisoner of war in or near 14
Hiroshima and Nagasaki; and 15
WHEREAS, These atomic veterans may have been exposed to 16
radiation as a result of their military service and, due to that 17
exposure, may have developed cancer or other medical conditions; 18
and 19
S. C. R. No. 1 Page 2
As Introduced
WHEREAS, Many atomic veterans were prevented by secrecy 20
laws or oaths from seeking medical care or disability 21
compensation from the United States Department of Veterans 22
Affairs for conditions they may have developed as a result of 23
radiation exposure; and 24
WHEREAS, In 1996, the United States Congress repealed the 25
Nuclear Radiation and Secrecy Agreements Act, freeing atomic 26
veterans to describe their military involvement in nuclear 27
testing in order to file for benefits from the United States 28
Department of Veterans Affairs; and 29
WHEREAS, Atomic veterans may be eligible for free medical 30
care from the United States Department of Veterans Affairs and 31
compensation in the form of a partial or full service-connected 32
disability allowance, including potential payments to a 33
surviving spouse or children; and 34
WHEREAS, The Mark Takai Atomic Veterans Healthcare Parity 35
Act, introduced in the 116th Congress as S. 555 and H.R. 1377, 36
included veterans who participated in the cleanup of Enewetak 37
Atoll in the Marshall Islands between January 1, 1977, and 38
December 31, 1980, as radiation-exposed veterans for purposes of 39
the Department of Veterans Affairs' presumption of service 40
connection for specified cancers; and 41
WHEREAS, The Ohio Department of Veterans Services provides 42
free assistance to Ohio veterans and their dependents in 43
developing and submitting disability compensation claims to the 44
United States Department of Veterans Affairs; and 45
WHEREAS, The National Association of Atomic Veterans was 46
formed in 1979 to help atomic veterans obtain medical care and 47
assistance; and 48
WHEREAS, It is altogether fitting and proper that atomic 49
veterans be recognized for their service and sacrifice to the 50
S. C. R. No. 1 Page 3
As Introduced
nation; now therefore be it 51
RESOLVED, That we, the members of the 134th General 52
Assembly of the State of Ohio, urge the United States Congress 53
to enact the Mark Takai Atomic Veterans Healthcare Parity Act; 54
and be it further 55
RESOLVED, That the Clerk of the Senate transmit a duly 56
authenticated copy of this resolution to the Speaker and Clerk 57
of the United States House of Representatives, the President Pro 58
Tempore and Secretary of the United States Senate, and the 59
National Association of Atomic Veterans so that members of 60
Congress, the organization, and other atomic veterans and their 61
families may be apprised of the sense of the General Assembly of 62
the State of Ohio in this matter. 63