CONGRESSIONAL RECORD—HOUSE The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the genticman from California? Mr. LAGOMARSINO. Mr. Speaker, reserving the right to object, I do so in order to ask the chairman of the subcommitice if he would explain to the body what is being done here and what amendinents are being proposed to the Senate amendments, Mr. PHILLIP BURTON, Mr. Speaker, if the gentleman will yield, this is the bill that we sent to the Senate on May 7, 1979 without dissent. The Senate care- fully examined our proposals and accepted most of our proposals. They de- leted, however, language that we had dealing with the collection of taxes in the insular areas. One of cur amendments that we sent back to the Senate authorizes within a 2-year periad the disposal of what was formerly a small one- or two-story office bullding in the Virgin Islands to the Virgin Islands since there has been a new ‘Federal building built in the past fewyears. Mr. Speaker, Iam really not aware of any contention here inthe House with reference to the subject matter before us in our amendments, and I urge their February 25, 1980 In February of 1976 a memorandum, secondary CIP projects. It seems reasonof agreement, between the Departments ‘able to us to fund someof these projects. Other items that might be funded unof the Navy and Interior, and the High Commissioner of the Trust Territory of der section 101 include operations costs the Pacific Islands (TTPI), set forth a for the FSMcentral government, capital 5-year capital improvement program relocation for the 3 entitics and fuel oil (CIP) for fiscal years 1976 through 1980 costs. The latter is a very serious probfor the purpose of completing a basic in- ‘lem because of the soaring price of diese! frastructure for the TTPI. Included in fuel and gasoline. All the generators in the Tf?i ure mm this plan were primary roads, utilities, airfields, shipping facilities, and marine with one or the other type of fuel so all _of their operations are affected out resources facilities. . : Because funding dropped below the there. Of course, while helping them to originally planned level per year, the meet their increased oil prices, we must plan fell behind schedule, and costs rose also pursue alternative energy sources because of inflation. It is this develop- so that the three governments will not ment program that the Senate Energy be totally, if at all, dependent on oll in Committee specifically cites as one for the years to come. So, as you can see, there is no dearth | which money to complete it is included of worthy projects authorized to he in this authorization. The other specifics named by the Sen-— funded under section 101 of H.R. 3756. In section 102 of the House version, ate are a basic communications system in the trust territory and both a feasibility the House once again attempted to edge study and construction of a hydroelectric the United States closer to completing project on Ponape, which Is the capital payments to Micronesians for claims of the Federated States of Micronesia. owed from World WarII by authorizing We agree with the Senate that the above the United States to pay at least 50 peritems must be funded under this au- cent of the $24 million still owed these thorization. people under title I of the Micronesian ve Claims Act. . The Senate, however, disagreed with . adoption. for any of the victims of the U.S. nu- our provisions and it was stricken from Mr. Speaker, before us today is ELR. elear testing in the Northern Marshall. the bill, Although we were unsuccessful 3756, which is an authorization bill for Islands. These include the people of in attempting to restore this provision, insular areas of the United States. These Bikini, Enetewak, Rongelap, and Utirtc it does not mean that we are any less include American Samoa, Guam, the and those from any other atolls In the committed to-paying these people this Northern Mariana Islands, and the Vir- Marshalls who may in the future be compensation long overdue. For the time gin Islands. Additionally, the bill covers found to have been exposed to nuclear being we are thwarted, but we will conthe Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands fallout. timue to make every effort and pursue for which we assumed responsibility in every avenue that could bringthis mat~ Also, in conjunction with this au1947 under a U.N. trusteeship charter. ter to a successful conclusion. The House version of the bill passed thorization provision, it should be noted Section.102,0£.5n1edlousabieontained the House of Representatives on May 7, here that the Marshall Islands was de- shomoginprehensivemedical program for 1979, without any dissenting votes. The clared a disaster area last December as a ttempeople..of. the atolls 6f Bikini, Senate, on February 7, 1980, passed its result of two separate storms that struck Emewetak, Rongelap, and Utirikof the version of the same bill. What we are Majuro, the government center of the Northern Marshalls, the pcople who were taking up today is the House bill as Marshalls. The business district was victiirs of U.S. nuclear testing. While amended by the Senate and with certain heavily damaged and virtually all hous- the Senate made a few changes in the amendments thereto. What follows here ing was destroyed, leaving some 5,500 language, in substance they agreed with is a breakdown of the major differences people homeless. The housing and other the House version. between the original House bill and structures destroyed by the storms were - This section takes the program auinadequate at best. But under current thorized by section 104(a) (4) of Public. what we have before us today: First of all, title I, which deals with the law, FEMA, the Federal Emergency Man- Law 95-134 and extends it to include the trust territory (TT). The current author- agement Agency, in working to rebuild people of the atolls of Bikini and Eneization expires at the end of this fiscal this community, can only replace what wetak who are known to have heen afyear. Status negotiations between the was destroyed; it cannot improve upon fected by the nuclear testing program, United States and the TT are continuing.. it. This, to us, would be unsatisfactory and to the people of any other atolls.in However, it is impossible to ascertain at and we urge the administration and the the Marshall Islands who may in the this time when it is that these negotia- appropriation committees to take advan- future be found to have been exposed to tions will be successfully concluded with tage of this open ended authorization ta nuclear fall-out, All of these people and each of the three political entities. When approve money to supplement that being their descendants will henceforth be negotiations eventually cease, a referen- expended by FEMA to produce for the covered.by the program. dum on any compact approved by the people of Majuro a decent and adequate This provision also requires the comnefotiators will have to be conducted in and more storm resistant community. Dining into.a single, integrated program, Additionally, we understand there is a the various activities which have been the TT. If the people approve the compact it will then have to come before second level capital improvements pro~ carried on in an uncoordinated, even Congress for congressional perusal and gram that the Micronesians would find haphazard way in the past. The Departapproval and finally, it will be submitted of great benefit in the years ahead. What mentof Interior has been responsible for this means is that areas outside of the general health care of the Micronesians. to the U.N. Trusteeship Council. Both the House and Sennte have ap- district centers of the TIPI have re‘Through the Brookhaven National Laboproved language that would extend the mained largely undeveloped even though ratory-Associated Universities, Inc., the current authorization to make certain . most of the people live on these outer is- Department of Energy has supported a that the trust territory and the successor lands. There are many projects that medical research program which has entities are funded for an. indefinite might be funded in order to help them, periodically examined and treated the number of years. Additionally, the Sen- particularly with their ‘education and People of Rongelap and Uterik overthe ate has speed out—bothin the commit- health, and their economic development. past 25 years. tee report and in section 101 of ILR. We expect that the Interior Department Through the Lawrence Livermore Lab3756—certain items that must be funded C3 C3 at <r under this open-ended authorization. Cr aN, H 1224 . This authorization ‘would also cover any additional funding needed in future and the Appropriations Committees ‘would take a look at the lists of potential oratory, the Department of Euergy has conducted radiological Surveys and made