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CONGRESS OF MICRONESIA
SAIPAN, MARIANA ISLANDS
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R
96950
ACSA eS
SPECIAL JOINT COMMITTEE
CONCERNING RONGELAP &
UTIRIK ATOLLS
August 27, 1975
Senator Oly mplo T. Borja, Chalrman
Representative John
Hagliel fem
Representative Ata]l Balos
Robert Ccnard, M.D.
Associated Universities, Inc.
Brookhaven National Laboratory.
Upton, L. I.
New York 11973
Dear Dr. Conard:
Senator Olympio T. Borja,who is currently traveling to
several Asian countries on Congressional business, has
asked me to contact you on behalf of the Special Joint
Committee concerning additional compensation for the
people of Rongelap and Utirik.
As indicated by the attached copies of correspondence,
75°
ERDA (formerly the AEC) and the Department of the Interior
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heave indicated their general support of additional coxpensation for these people. We further anticipate hearings
before the U.S. Congress, following transmittel of draft
legislation prepared by Interior for introduction in the
U.S. House and Senate. In anticipation of such heerings,
and the likelihood that we will be testifying on this
issue, we would like to have your preliminary opinions
on several questions in order thet we might present a
unified position before any committee.
Our questions/concerns ere as follow:
* Mr. Rice of DOTA, Interior, hes raised the question
of whether the lump sum compensation to effected Rongelapese
should very in amount according to the extent to which the
people were affected. The Committee's suggestion is that
each person who hes had a thyroid removed, should receive
$25,000.
However, he suggests that some ere affected
more than others and thet, consequently, the amounts
should be congruent with the damage caused.
that you noted the
I also recall
thyroids of some Rongelapese have
ceased to function because of their exposure, but that
they have not been removed by surgery.
Do such cases
require special consideration, or should they be considered
Similar to those who have had their glends removed, since
the end effect is the sane?
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