Utirik and Rongelap themselves,

House Resolution 1988 states that the

"Congress hereby assumes compassionate responsibility to compensate
inhabitants in the Rongelap Atoll...for radiation exposures sustained
by them as a result" of the 1954 incident.

In section four of the

‘act (78 Stat. 598) it states that "A payment made under the provisions
of this act shall be in full settlement and discharge of all claims

against the United States arising out of the thermonuclear detonation
on March 1, 1954,"

As the Committee interprets "compassionate responsibility" not to mean
“direct responsibility" or "direct liability'' for the incident, but
‘rather a humanitarian responsibility to "compensate"! rather than an

admission of direct responsibility for the incident itself.

Despite

this "compassion shown by the U.S. Government, however, it is noted
that payment of a claim would supposedly free it from further claim
by the affected inhabitants,

The Committee notes that this act does

not include claims by or on behalf of the children of the "inhabitants"

nor does it include the people of Utirik.
The Committee believes that the provisions of the law become invalid
in consideration of events which subsequently took place after payment

of "compassionate compensation’ was made,

The case of thyroid disorders,

the fatal case of leukemia, and the uncertain future of the health of
these people are facts which all belie
claims,

the attempt to prohibit future

Furthermore, the Committee notes that while the language of

the law attempts to be final with respect to future claims, that the
compensation is for "radiation exposures ,"" to inhabitants and not for

EEE 5.666,

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