paneegpeennns eee
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7
expended considerable money}in the aborted March, 1972, survey, and -;
that the decision to field another survey is entirely up to them.
We are, however, concerned about the welfare of the affected Marshallese
and aware of the expressed toncern and dismay of several doctors who
have accompanied the Brookhaven team in the past that there should be
‘mo delay, as the health of the people concerned is of paramount
- importance. Thus, we should hope that since the health and welfare
of the people is also a primary concern of the Brookhaven team and
'-the AEC, that they will contur in the need for another team to be
fielded as soon as possible,
Furthermore, this so-called! "independent" team has no relationship
to the offer made by Dr, Jesse Steinfeld.
If the USPHS fielded a
medical survey team, it woujd be completely separate from the Brookhaven
team, At this point in time, the Committee has only asked Dr. Steinfeld
to indicate how long it woujd take to assemble such a team and has not
. Fequested a PHS team.
Perhapa it should alao he ntated again that there will be no interference
with said AEC-financed survey, and that the people of Rongelap and
Utirik will not refuse examination. This point, I believe, was made
clear in your meeting with Congressman Ataji Balos of April 11, 1972;
- ---and it has also been reaffiamed in the Committee's-subsequent discussions
with Representative Balos, j
I hope that the above information will resolve any uncertainty
regarding the Committee's recommendations, and that we can look
forward to the annual survey being conducted for the benefit of the
people of Rongelap and Utirik as soon as possible.
Very truly yours,
}
{
t
Senator Olympio T. Borja _,
_Chairman, Special Joint Committee
Concerning Rongelap and Utirik Atolls
Congress of Micronesia
cc:
~
Deputy High Commi seoter
Director of Health Services
we~> Dr. E. P. Cronkite, Brookhaven National Laboratory
pee
Dr. R. A. Conard, Brookhaven National Laboratory
Dr. Jesse Steinfeld, Surgeon General of the United States