wweers
OST.
a
9.
:
me
-
wo eee es SO ee ee
=
————
~
ie mn
In the bill providing for continuation of its Life, the Special Joint
Committee is instructed to seek broad compensation for a variety of damages.
S. B. No. 89 may be viewed as the first round in a series of negotiations that
will involve larger compensation questions later.
ALTERNATIVES
10.
Three alternative actions may be considered for the AEC in negotiating
an executive agreement with the High Commissioner.
a.
Refuse to offer reimbursement on’ ‘grounds that government rather than
agency action is appropriate.
b.
Unconditional ly agree to offer payment as requested in the bill.
¢c.
Propose a provisional agreement under which costs would be shared with
Department of Interior pending acceptable revision of bill in next
session of Micronesian Congress and then fully assumed by AEC.
ll. ‘a,
Refuse to offer reimbfu’sement on grounds that government rather than
agency action is appropriate.
(1) Pros:
(a)
The AEC could not be interpreted as assuming responsibility
for damage to the exposed populations.
(b)}
Consultation with other departments or agencies of the
government such as the State Department would become possible.
{c)
The AEC could not be accused of circumventing the intent
of Congress as expressed in U. S. Public Law 88-485.
(2) Cons:
(a)
Le, rerrn (Le,
US,
In contrast to press Creatment of thegovernment of the Trust
Territory, which signed the bill into Law,
the AEC might be
subjected to adverse publicity for failure to cooperate.
(ob)
The medical care provided in the bill also provides medical
information of possible value to the Brookhaven survey team
and therefore can be viewed as a research activity.
(c)
There are precedents for provision of medical care in
support of research as in the activities of the ABCC and
certain AEC laboratories.
(d)
There may be advantages
in handling this inexpensive item
separately from the large compensation package which is
likely to come later.
50085 lb