Background Paper on a Yealzh Plan for the Marshail Islands Article l--Intreduction P.L. 96-205 requires the Secretary of the interior to develbo o f_ integrated, comprehensive health care srogrgm ang a environmental researen and monitoring for the s®déples o the Marshalis for any injury, iliness, or condition which be the resule direcely or indirectly of the U.S. nuclear weapons testing program. ¥ The statute. The pertinent statute is Public Law 96-295, l. approved March 12, 1380, which provides in section 102: "(a) In addition to anv cther payments or benefits - provided by law to csmpensate inhabitants of tha atoli; of Bikini, Enewetak, Rongelap, and Utirix, in the Marshall Islands for radiation exposure or other losseg gustained by them as a result of the United Staces nuclear weapons tastiag program at or near the atolis during the period 1946 to 1958, the Secretary of ‘he Interior (herein after in shis section referred ts as the ‘'Secretary') shall provide for the people ct the atolls of Bikini, Emewetak, Rencelap, and Utirix and for the people cf such other atolls as say be found ts be or to have been exposed to radiation from the muclear weapons testing program, a program of medical care and treatment and environmental research and monitoring for any injury, illness, or condition which may be the result directly or indirectly of suck muclear weapons testing program. The program shall be implemented acesrding to a plan developed Sy the Secretary in consultation with the Secretaries of Defense, Energy, and Health, Education, anc WelZacre and with the direct involvement of representatives = the pecple of each of the affected atolls and from the government of the Marshall Islands. The plan shall se forth, a8 appropriate to the situation, condition, and needs of the individual atoll pecplaes: °C) an integrated, comprehensive health care program including primary, secondary, and tertiary care with special emphasis upon the biological effeces of ionizing radiation; "@) a schedule for the periodiccomprehensive agurvey_and analysis of the radiological status of the atolls to and at appropriate intervals, but not less frequently than once every five years, the development of an updated raciation doseassessment, together with an estinate of the risks associated with the predicted human exposure, for each such atell; and -S