May 22, 1972 President Nixon, in the first visit of aU. S. President to Moscow, participated in a summit meeting and signed the SALT I agreement. February 6, 1973 Atomic Energy Comnissioner Dixy Lee Ray designated chairman by President Nixon. July 1974 Threshold Test Ban Treaty signed by the United States and the Soviet Union. October 11, 1974 President Ford signed the Fnergy Reorganization Act, abolishing the Atomic Energy Commission and transferring its nuclear weapon program to the Energy Research and Develorment Administration. January 19, 1975 Energy Research and Development Administration activated and Robert C. Seamans, Jr., named Administrator. May 28, 1976 Treaty on Underground Nuclear Explosions for Peaceful Purposes signed by the United States and Soviet Union. August 4, 1977 President Carter signed the Departmen of Energy Act abolishing the Energy Research and Development Administration and Federal Energy Administration, and transferred their functions to the new Department of Energy. ‘The Department began operation on October 1. August 5, 1977 James R. Schlesinger nominated as first November 27, 1978 President Jimmy Carter ordered the Department of Health, Education, anc Welfare to establish a program for research on the health effects of low Secretary of Energy. level radiation exposure to cammuructies in Nevada, Utah and Arizona. February 22, 1979 Joseph Lyons published "Childhood Lukemias Associated with Fallout =rmn Nuclear Testing,” in The New Endler Journal of Medicine. April 19, 1979 House Cammittee on Interstate and Foreign Cammerce held hearing or the health effects of low-level raciaticn at Salt Lake City, Utah.