Senate Passes Schaffer Bill Aimed at Helping Atomic Veterans
December 18, 2019
Tim Schaffer News
COLUMBUS—The Senate this week unanimously passed Senate Concurrent Resolution 5, sponsored by State Senator Tim Schaffer (R-Lancaster), which urges the United States Congress to enact the Mark Takai Atomic Veterans Healthcare Parity Act.
The legislation is named after late Hawaii Congressman Mark Takai, who was the original sponsor of this legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives.
In 1988, Congress passed the Radiation-Exposed Veterans Compensation Act; however, the veterans that did the cleanup without adequate safety gear were excluded. The Mark Takai Atomic Veterans Act will classify those veterans who participated in the cleanup of Eniwetok Atoll in the Marshall Islands as radiation-exposed veterans.
“The Mark Takai Atomic Veterans Act will address the inequity for these specific veterans in regards to their healthcare. This clarification will provide many clean-up crew veterans with healthcare services and benefits that they are in desperate need of,” said Schaffer. “These veterans have sacrificed so much for our country and it is time that the United States stand up for them.”
Senate Concurrent Resolution 5 will now be sent to the Ohio House for further consideration.
“The Mark Takai Atomic Veterans Act will address the inequity for these specific veterans in regards to their healthcare. This clarification will provide many clean-up crew veterans with healthcare services and benefits that they are in desperate need of,” said Schaffer. “These veterans have sacrificed so much for our country and it is time that the United States stand up for them.”
Senate Concurrent Resolution 5 will now be sent to the Ohio House for further consideration.