IVINGTON & BURLING Mr. Wallace O. Green April 21, 1980 Page Six the radiological program, but in the interes of expediting the program, the Secretary is encduraged to use other departmental funds for later re bursement out of appropriation." m~ In constrast to the niggardly approach taken the Department of Energy even to ascertaining the true of the medical problems that have possibly resulted fr nuclear weapons testing, Congressman Burton emphasized during the floor consideration of the finally approved statutory language the intent and rationale of Congres the United States err on the side of over inclusion ra than risk failing to treat any medical problems that w the legacy of the weapons testing program: ature “that er "Special emphasis is to be placed upon the biological effects of ionizing radiation, bu Since health effects associated with radiati exposure, such as thyroid anomalies, maligna tumors, and genetic defects are indistinguish ble from the spontaneous occurance of the same dil orders, the only way to assure that the radi 1onrelated problems are dealt with is to deal wi h all of the health problems of the affected pe bples." Later in his remarks Congressman Burton explained: "We believe we have a special moral obligatio h to these people and it is our intent that this p crO~ vision be interpreted to provide the most pos sible protection to them." Finally, of pertinence to our request that th b most sophisticated scientific approach and most advance a technology be employed in identifying the health proble ns in the northern Marshall Islands that received radioact ive fallout, it is worth noting Congressman Burton's explana r10n that Congress specified the involvement of a scientific advisory committee “to insure the maintenance of the hi hest professional standards for both basic research and appl ed science." Furthermore, the information we seek is cruci 1 to the successful conclusion of the political status negot lations