401642

Mr. Fred M,

Zeder,

II

Director of Territorial Affairs
Department of Interior
18th and C Streets, N.W.
Washington, D.C, 20240
Dear Mr. zeder,
We would like to call attention to the fact that the bill before
our Congress for compensation for radiation effects of the Marshallese
people of Rongelap and Utirik Atolls who were exposed to fallout radiation in 1954 allows for compensation of those undergoing thyroid surgery

for thyroid tumors and for malignancies, namely leukemia related to radia-

tion exposure.
Recently, certain other types of malignancy have been reported to be associated with radiation exposure with sufficient frequency

to be included (The Effects on Populations of Exposure to Low Levels of

Ionizing Radiation, Report of the Advisory Committee on Biological Effects

of Ionizing Radiation, NAS-NRC, U.S. Gov't Printing Office, Washington,

D.C., Nov. 1972; A Report of the United Nations Scientific Committee on
the Effects of Atomic-Radiation to the General Assembly, with annexes.
United Nations, N.Y. 1972).
Therefore, in addition to leukemias and
cancer of the thyroid glands, malignancies developing in the following
Organs should be included: gastrointestinal tract and stomach, breast and
lungs, Although the number of such cancers would be expected to be very
small or even unlikely to occur and the role of radiation in the dévelopment of such a cancer could never be proved,it is nevertheless recommended
that any individual in the exposed groups developing such types of malignancy be included for compensation.
On the basis of the above facts the name of a Rongelap man (#68,
who died last year of cancer of the stomach should be added
to

the

list of those considered: for compensation.

We will keep you

informed of any further people who might develop such malignancies.
Sincerely,

James L,

Livemnan

PRIVACY ACT MATERIAL REMOVED

OMY 50200

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