Atomic Energy Commission
l.
The Committee helieves that because of nsycholoyical implications,
nev thyroid nodule findings,
and the unvrecedented case of leukemia,
strongly recommends that the AEC recruit and fund
a doctor like Dr.
it
Knudsen--
on a one or two year contract hasis to visit the Rongelapese and Utirikese
during the time between the yearly examinations.
The Committee has been
advised that finding someone to do this is very difficult.
believes this is not a valid consideration.
The former Surgeon General of
the United States informed the Committee that the U.S.
has about 40,000 emplovees,
Also,
The Committee
Public Health Service
12,000 of them in professional occupations.
the Committee does not believe that the matter of funding should
stand in the way of this proposal since the AEC's annual budget exceeds by
several times the annual budget for the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands.
Arrangements for such a service on a continuing basis can he made through
the Department of the Interior and the Trust Territory Government.
As an alternate nroposal,
should the above vrorosal be impossible to
fulfill--which the Committee doubts--the Committee then would favor the
recommendation of two of its consultants to nave a hos;ital ship visit the
island regularly,
2.
It
is
the cost of which would also he borne by the AFC.
also
recommended hy
the Committee
tnat
tne Atomic Fnergy
Comnission trovide funds in addition to regular Grant Funds for any new
hospital facility on Majuro and Ebeye for the purposes of constructing
additional roous and providing equirment particularly relevant te the
examinations of the Ponrelapese and Utirilhese,.
The Committee further recommends
that the Atomic Fnergy Commission
increase its fun@ing under contractual obliqatirons
[Oru Ted.
uM
to brookhaven National