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RADIATION STANDARDS, INCLUDING FALLOUT

tablishment and administration of radiation standards. Finally, we
will try to consider, in the most clear and simple terms, the risks involved in manmaderadiation.
Among thespecific items we will look into is the role and function
of the Federal Radiation Council, a subject left open by our 1960
hearings. In addition, we will try to derive a better understanding
of the responsibilities of other Federal and State organizations in
this field. We will also examine the relationship between governmental agencies and private organizations such as the ICRP and

the NCRP.
Fallout from nuclear testing will be discussed later today and
more extensively tomorrow, June 5. We hopeto determine the changes

which have occurred since our 1959 hearings in regard to worldwide fallout, including current monitoring and surveillance activities in the United States and organizational responsibilities in this
area.
Wewill also have the opportunity to review new findings in the
field of genetics, revealed by a recent report of the Federal Radiation

ouncil.

The general format of our hearings has been described in an outline distributed in advance of the hearings. I believe we havecalled
upon some of the best scientists in this country to discuss this vital
subject. It is my hope that throughtheir statements, a better understanding will be brought about on a subject. which has been plagued by
confusion and misapprehension.
Ourtask is a considerable one and I ask that all witnesses keep their
oral presentations within the allotted time. More detailed statements
will, of course, be accepted for the record of the hearings.
I shouldalso like to observe that the occasion of these hearings has
brought a considerable “fallout” of reports from the executive branch.
Thus, there is the report by the Federal Radiation Council, entitled
“Health Implications of Fallout From Nuclear Weapons Testing
Through 1961,” which wasreleased last Saturday, June 2. In fairness
I should point out that the Chairman of the Federal Radiation
Council, Secretary Ribicoff, offered to release this report at the beginning of these hearings, but Chairman Holifield and I believed it would
be desirable to get the report to our witnesses and the public before our
hearings started so that it could be discussed moreintelligently.
Wealso have the printed version of the AEC seminars last fall,
and we understand that the National Academy of Sciences also has a
report coming out sometime this summer. As usual, we also understand that one report is being withheld—the report by the National
Advisory Committee on Radiation, called the NACORreport, to the
Surgeon General on surveillance and detection.
I am pleased to have as ourfirst witness: Dr. G. Hoyt Whipple of
the University of Michigan. He will be followed by Dr. Lauriston
Taylor of the National Bureau of Standards and Dr. Charles Dunham

of the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission.
Dr. Whipple, will you commence yourpresentation.

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