Public Law 88-485
88th Congress, H, R. 1988
August 22,
1964
An Act
18 STAT, 598,
To provide for the settlement of claims of certsin residents of the Trust Territory
of the Pacitie Islands.
.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled, That the Congress
heréby assumes compassionate responsibility to compensate inhabitants in the Roengelap Atoll, in the Trust Territory of the Pacific
Islands, for radiation exposures sustained by them as a result of a
thermonuclear detonation at Bikini Atoll in the Marshall Islands on
March1, 1954.
Sec. 2. There is authorized to be appropriated for such purpose out
Rongelap Atoll.
Radiation vic~
tims, sompensstion.
Appropriation)
of the Treasury of the United States the sum of $950,000 to be conditions for
.
expended by the Secretary of the Interior (hereinafter referred to ns payment,
the “Secretary”) in the manner hereinafter provided. After deducting the amount provided for in section 5 hereof, the Secretary shall
pay the remainder in equal amounts to each of the affected inhabit-
ants of Rongelap, except that (2) with respect to each such inhabitant
who has died before receipt of such payment, the Secretary shall pay
such sum to the heirs or legatees of such inhabitant, and (b) with
respect to any such inhabitant who is less than twenty-one years of
age or who has been adjudged incompetent or insane, payment shalt
be made, in the discretion of the Secretary, toa parent, relative, other
person, or institution for his benefit.
Sec. 3. The Secretary shall give advice concerning prudent financial
management to each person receiving
a payment pursuant to this Act,
to the end that each such person will have information as to methods of
conserving his funds and ns to suitable objects for which such funds
may be expended.
ec, 4.
payment made under the provisions of this Act shall be
in full settlement and dischargeof all claims against the United States
arising out of the thermonuclear detonation on March1, 1954.
Sec. 5. The Secretary is authorized to pay reasonnble attorney fees Attomey frees.
for legal services rendered on behalf of the people of Rongelap prior
to the date of enactment of this Act. Such fees shall bo paid out cf
the funds authorized to be appropriated in section 2 of this Act, but
the total of such fees paid shal] not exceed 5 per centum of the approprie
Szc. 6. The decisions of the Secretary in carrying out the provisions
of this Act shall be final and not subjectto revtew.
Approved August 22,
1964,
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
HOUSE REPORT No. 110 (Comm, on Interior & Insular Affairs).
SENATE REPORT No, 1257 (Comm, on Interior & Insular Affairs).
CONGRESS IONAL RECORD:
Vol, 109 {1963 Apr. 1, considered and passed House.
Vol, 110 (1964): July 31, considered and passed Senate, amended.
Aug. 12, House concurred in Senate amendment,
f
GPO
35-139