[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 159 (Wednesday, November 12, 1997)]
[Senate]
[Pages S12508-S12509]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. HARKIN:
  S. 1524. A bill require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to 
conduct an ongoing study of the health consequences of nuclear weapons 
tests; to the Committee on Labor and Human Resources.


           NATIONAL CANCER INSTITUTE HEALTH STUDY LEGISLATION

  Mr. HARKIN. Mr. President, I rise to introduce a bill requiring 
studies of the health effects of nuclear weapons testing. This would 
build upon the study by the National Cancer Institute that was released 
October 1 of this year.
  On October 1, following some major news coverage, the NCI testified 
before the Senate Labor, HHS, and Education Appropriations Subcommittee 
on their efforts to connect nuclear weapons testing with thyroid 
cancer. The NCI testimony and the report released that day were 
startling. Atomic bomb tests in Nevada during the 1950's exposed 
millions of Americans--particularly children--to large amounts of 
radioactive iodine-131. The levels of radioactive iodine exposure is 
far worse than previously reported by the Government. Hot spots where 
the iodine-131 fallout was greatest includes many counties far away 
from Nevada, including New York, Massachusetts, and Iowa.
  Hot spots were identified as receiving as high as 5-16 rads of 
exposure of iodine-131, with children being exposed to a risk up to 10 
times higher. Iodine-131, which accumulates in the thyroid gland, has 
been linked to thyroid cancer. To give some understanding of the 
enormity of the U.S. atomic tests in Nevada, 116 million curies of 
iodine-131 were released in the United States above ground tests. This 
compares to 7.3 million from Chernobyl disaster the former Soviet 
Union. The NCI report clearly shows that the U.S. atomic tests exposed 
a lot of people to risks now considered unacceptable.
  The topic hits very close to home for me. During the 1950's, I was 
living in the small town of Cumming located in south-central Iowa. 
Along with many Iowans, I lived in the hot spots detailed by the NCI 
study. Further, like many of my neighbors, I drank milk from the cows 
kept on our farm. This increased the risk faced by myself and my family 
because radioactive iodine accumulates in milk.
  The NCI report has attracted a lot of attention. Much of this stems 
from the history of nuclear weapons testing. As we all know, the U.S. 
Government was fairly cavalier with its nuclear weapons program during 
the early days of the cold war. Historians can argue about the reasons, 
but most people recognize the terrible toll suffered by the American 
public because of our nuclear weapons program. Only recently has the 
extent of exposure to radiation and other hazards to the ``down 
winders'' living near nuclear weapons sites such as the Nevada test 
site, Hanford in Washington State, and the Marshall Islanders in the 
South Pacific.
  So it is no surprise that a report detailing exposure to millions of 
Americans would attract attention. However, we need to continue the 
research into the health impact of nuclear weapons testing. That is why 
I am introducing this bill to require further study by the Department 
of Health and Human Services.
  The HHS study will build upon the NCI study. There is strong evidence 
that exposure to other radioactive isotopes that were spread by nuclear 
weapons tests such as strontium 90, cesium 137 and barium 140 could 
lead to bone cancer, leukemia, higher infant mortality, and a host of 
other illnesses. This needs to be examined. So do the nuclear weapons 
tests that took place not only at the Nevada test site, but at other 
places as well. For example, the NCI report did not examine the nuclear 
weapons testing conducted by the United States in Mississippi, Alaska, 
New Mexico, Colorado, or the South Pacific. The studies should research 
not only the United States nuclear weapons program, but also tests by 
foreign nations including the Soviet Union and its successor states, 
France, China, India, and Great Britain.
  I also believe that such studies should be conducted in an open 
manner. For example, this bill will require that the studies fall under 
the review authority of the Advisory Committee on Energy Related 
Studies and other entities established by the Federal Government to 
ensure public accountability over health related studies pertaining to 
nuclear weapon research, production, and testing. The bill also 
requires that HHS report to Congress within 90 days of passage as to 
its plan for completing the studies, as well as report to Congress each 
year on its progress.
  This is a simple bill that seeks some understanding of the health 
consequences of our nuclear weapons testing program. I would ask my 
fellow colleagues to review and support this important legislation.
  Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be 
printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the bill was ordered to be printed in the 
Record, as follows:

                                S. 1524

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. ONGOING STUDY ON HEALTH CONSEQUENCES OF NUCLEAR 
                   WEAPONS TESTS.

       (a) Requirement.--
       (1) In general.--The Secretary of Health and Human Services 
     shall conduct an ongoing study of the health consequences of 
     nuclear weapons tests.
       (2) Covered tests.--In conducting the study, the Secretary 
     shall, to the maximum extent practicable, consider nuclear 
     weapons tests (including above ground tests and below ground 
     tests) by the United States, France, Great Britain, India, 
     the People's Republic of China, the Soviet Union and its 
     successor states, and any other foreign nation that has 
     conducted nuclear weapons tests.
       (3) Particular exposures.--In conducting the study, the 
     Secretary shall consider, in particular, the following:
       (A) The health consequences of exposure to plutonium, 
     strontium-90, iodine-131, radioactive cesium, and any other 
     radioactive element produced by a nuclear weapon test.
       (B) The health consequences of exposure to such elements 
     for high-risk populations and for the general population.
       (4) Review.--The Secretary shall provide on an-going basis 
     for guidance and review of

[[Page S12509]]

     the conduct of the study, and review of the results of the 
     study, by the Advisory Committee on Energy-Related 
     Epidemiologic Research of the Department of Health and Human 
     Services and by such other entities engaged in the review of 
     governmental studies relating to nuclear weapons activities 
     as the Secretary considers appropriate.
       (b) Reports.--
       (1) Preliminary plan.--Not later than 90 days after the 
     date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to 
     Congress a report setting forth the Secretary's plan for the 
     conduct of the study under this section. The report shall set 
     forth an estimate of the annual costs of the study.
       (2) Annual reports.--Not later than one year after the date 
     of the submittal of the report under paragraph (1), and 
     annually thereafter, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a 
     report on the results of the study during the one-year period 
     preceding the date of the report.
       (c) Funding.--The Secretary of Energy shall transfer to the 
     Secretary of Health and Human Services each fiscal year, from 
     amounts appropriated for the Department of Energy for such 
     fiscal year for weapons activities, such amounts as the 
     Secretary of Energy and the Secretary of Health and Human 
     Services jointly determine appropriate to permit the 
     Secretary of Health and Human Services to conduct activities 
     relating to the study under this section during such fiscal 
     year.
                                 ______