For decades, many veterans have been dealing with health effects caused by cleaning up nuclear waste, but now help may be on the way.
Federal lawmakers are now considering a bill that would expand health benefits to veterans dealing with specific cancers and other illnesses associated with long-term exposure to nuclear materials.
Specifically, some 6,000 soldiers had to clean up a nuclear test site that was active from 1948 to 1958. Of the 340 known servicemembers still living, 35 percent of them have cancer. Many more have already died from it.
The bill in question has yet to move out of committee, but it has been co-sponsored by dozens of lawmakers.