Cash for US nuclear test victims

US victims of Cold War nuclear weapons development programmes would be guaranteed $150,000 (£105,000) and medical benefits under new legislation introduced.

The bill, co-sponsored by Senators Orrin Hatch, a Republican from Utah, and Pete Domenici, a Republican from New Mexico, would patch holes in existing laws meant to compensate people exposed to radiation by fallout from nuclear tests, known as downwinders, or through mining uranium.

Lack of money has left dozens of sick and dying uranium miners and downwinders holding promissory notes from the Government.