February 25, 1980
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE
program which was conducted at or near
their islands between 1946 and 1958. The
nant tumors, and genetic defects are in- |
maintained a modest program of basi
research at Enewetak atoll since the late
1940's. No one of these activities has heen
nomic, and health problems which resulted from the dislocation of people, the
contamination of their environment with
radionuclides and the exposure of some
way to assure that the radiation-related
problems are dealt with is to deal wit
all of the health problemsof theaffected’
the others so as to produce the maximum
also true that some of the people of
raciation dose assessments at the atolls
of Bikini and Enewetak. Through the
University of Hawaii Institute of Marine
Biology, the Department of Energy has
integrated or coordinated with any of
cosible benefit fer the affected peoples.
Additionally, this section requires the
Secretary of the Interior to take the lead
in planning and implementing an inte-
grated program which combines all of
these im oartant functions. The Secretary
is expressly authorized to develop a plan
for the program in consultation with the
Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of
Energy, and the Secretary of Health, Education. and Welfare, the three agencies
which, in addition to Interior, have had
the greatest involvement in Micronesia
and have some special expertise and interest. The Secretary is also expressly re-
quired to involve representatives of the
people of cach of the atolls intended to
benefit from the program. The committee wishes to give special emphasis to
this latter requirement. Without the full
and meaningful participation and co-
operation of the people affected, both
in the planning and in the implcmentation of the program, it will have little
chance of success. The committee takes
note of the dissatisfaction expressed by
some of the people at Rongelap and
Uterik in the past. It is this kind of dissatisfaction which can be avoided by the
maximum feasible participation of the
people served by the program.
In the interest of commencing imple-
mentation of the program at the earlicst
practicable time, a deadline of January 1, 1981, for submission of the plan to
the Congress has been included, but the
committee encourages the Secretary to
commence development of the plan as
soon as possible and to complete it earlier
than the deactine. While this programis
committee is mindful of the social, eco-
of the people to jonizing radiation. It Is
these atolls will be living in an environ-
any other people who. are later discovered to have been exposed to radioactive
failout from nuclear testing programs.
Primary. responsibility for planning
the program rests with the Secretary of
agencies and groups at the earliest
practicable time to commence development of the plan. All costs of planning,
including travel and other expenses, are
to be chargeable to the budget of the
also notes that the people of Enewetak
appropriation,
taries to coordinate their efforts so that
» this dual responsibility will not hamper
planning and implementution of the propramin any way.
2
Finally, the committee considers this
provision to be an important and valu~
able contribution to the general wellbeing of the people who were adversely
affected by the nuclear weapons testing
currence of the same disorders, the only
peoples. This approach is also dictated ”*
by the hypocratic oath which forbids a
doctor to treat a patient for cancer and
tation of a program of education which
should include basic informationregarding the sources of fonizing radiation, its
movement in the environment and its
affects upon human heings. It will be
the Interior, but it is essential that he necessary to draw heavily upori the adconsult with the Secretaries of Defense, vice and assistance of people from each
Energy, Health and Welfare, and with. of the affected islands and from other
representatives of the people of the af- Marshallese -people, to sevetODand imfected atolls. He is also required to con- plement this educational progr:
sult with the government of the MarIt is the intent of the committee that |
shall Islands.
;
successful operation of this program over
It is the intent of the committee that the long term will require both basic rethe Secretary of the Interior will bring search and the application of scientific
together representatives of each of these knoviedge for the direct benefit of the
radiological program, but in the interest
of expediting the program, the Seeretary
is encouraged to use other departmental
are scheduled to resettle their atoll in
July 1980. It is the intention of the committee that once the program authorized
by this section is implemented, it will
absorb or replace the current activities
referred to previously.
- The committee firmly believes that the
necessity for this kind of program arises
from the U.S. nuclear weapons testing
prosram and, hence, should be accourted fay as a charge to the budeect
of the Department of Energy. Accordingly, while planning and implementation of the prozramis the responsibility
of the Secretary of the Interior, funds
for the program ere authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of Energy.
The committee expects the two secre-
distinguishable from the spontaneous oc.
ignore the patient’s malnutrition, apment which contains low levels of ioniz- pendicitus, or broken leg, for example.
ing radiation for some years to come. .
Paragraph (2) of subsection (a) reIt is the intent of the committee that quires the performance of periodic surthis program should contribute measur- veys to determine the radiological status
ably to the health, peace of mind, and of the affected atolis. For all of the arcas
general well-being of the people in a way
of concern to this program, there are
which monetary payments would not. | yarying amounts of radionuclides in the
To be more specific, this section of the ecosystem which constitute a hazard of
bill amends Public Law 95-134 by adding some degree to the human beinzs, prina newsection to it, section 106. Para- cipally through the food chain. Once this
graph (4) of Public Law 95-135 required information is obtnined, however, it is the Secretary of the Interior to provide of no practical use until a radiation’ dose
@ program Of medical care to the people assessment is calculated, together with
of Rongelap and Utirik only.
an estimate of the health risks asso.
Section 106(a) contains the basic ciated with the projected Numan excharter for the radiological program posure.
for the people of the atolls of Bikini,
Paragraph (3) of subsection (a) reEniwetok, Rongelap, and Utirik, and for quires the developinent and implemen.
intended to be one of long-term benefit,
there are immediate needs to be met,
especially at Bikini atoll. The committee
Yoca- ,
H 1225
funds for later reimbursement out of the
Planning of the program must take
into account the varying needs of indi-
viduals, groups and each of the islands
and atolls. The needs and problems of
the people of Eniwetok are different from
those at Bikini and the people af Ronge-
lap have problems which those at Eni-
wetok do not have. The committee is
mindful of the fact that a program of
this kind can caus? more anxiety than
cure, if it is not properly designed and
executed.
Paragraphs (1), (2), and (3) of subsection 106(a), are the three principal
elements of an integrated program to
meet the needs of the various people affected. Each element of the program,
however, will have to be carefully plan-
ned for each island.
Paragraph (1) Of subsection (a) requires the provision of a comprehensive
health care program for the members of
the affected groups. Special emphasis is
to be placed upon the biological effects
of ionizing radiation, bu: since health
effects associatcd with radiation exposure, such as thyroid anomalies, malig-
people. Accordingly, basic research may
be undertaken and supported as part of
this program so long as it bears some
reasonable relation.to the objectives of
the overall program.
.
Paragraph (1) of subsection (b) requires the Secretary to submit the plan
for the program to the Congress not later
than January 1, 1981. The committee .
expects 2 comprehensive programdesign,
together with cost estimates, which will
achieve the intended objectives of the
program. The committee also encourages
the Secretary to coranlete the planning
as early as practicable.
. At the present time general health
eare is provided in Micronesia through
the Department of the Interior. For this
program, the Secretary is expressly required to consider the feasibility of hav-
ing the United States Public Health
Service of the Department of Health and
Welfare provide medical services in this
program.
The scientific advisory committee is
intended to insure the maintenance of
the highest professional standards for
both basic research and applied science.
Paragraph (2) of subsection (b) empowers the Secretary of the Interior to
call upon any other Federal agency for
assistance, on a réimbursable basis,
either in the planning or the implemen- tation of the program. The Department #
of Defense has the best logistical support in the area, with facilities at.
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