Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is reviewing whether federal benefits rules can be updated for veterans who were exposed to radiation at the Nevada atomic test site during the Cold War era, according to multiple reports. The sources say the issue centers on eligibility criteria established under older regulations. While civilians who performed work connected to the Nevada test site have been able to receive certain benefits, veterans face barriers because the current rules do not make it possible for many service members to document or prove their presence at the site under the existing Cold War-era framework. The outlets report that Hegseth is considering a “benefits fix” aimed at closing this gap so that veterans may be able to qualify when they were exposed but lack the type of verification the regulations require. The reports describe the problem as one of documentation and rule design rather than a dispute over whether exposure occurred. The final details of any proposed changes, including what evidence would be accepted and what benefits would be affected, are not described in the summaries provided.