[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 13 (Monday, February 23, 1998)]
[Senate]
[Pages S856-S857]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                           RADIATION EXPOSURE

 Mr. HARKIN. Mr. President, today I want to recognize those 
Americans who were exposed to radiation fallout from government testing 
of nuclear weapons in the 1950's, the effects of which are still being 
studied.
  I was recently contacted by Karen Anderson and her two children, Leah 
and Seth, who are constituents of mine from Urbandale, Iowa. Included 
in their correspondence was a moving and touching tribute to Bob 
Anderson, their husband and father, who, after a lengthy and courageous 
battle, succumbed to cancer on September 7, 1996. As someone who grew 
up in Iowa and lost two sisters and a brother to cancer, I understand 
and empathize with their situation.
  The letters, photos and other personal materials that made up a bound 
volume memorializing the life and struggle of Mr Anderson displayed the 
obvious affection and love he felt for everyone and that he received in 
return. In fact, dozens of friends and relatives signed the notebook in 
tribute to Bob Anderson. It is always a tragedy when someone is taken 
from us when they have so much left to offer. There is no doubt he will 
be greatly missed by all.
  The anguish of the Anderson family was compounded by the 
circumstances surrounding the cause of Mr Anderson's cancer. Atomic 
bomb tests in Nevada during the 1950's exposed millions of Americans--
particulary children--to large amounts of radioactive Iodine-131, which 
accumulates in the thyroid gland and has been linked to thyroid cancer. 
``Hot Spots''--where the Iodine-131 fallout was the greatest--were 
identified as receiving 5-16 rads of Iodine-131
  To put that in perspective, Federal standards for nuclear power 
plants require that protective action be taken for 15 rads. To further 
understand the enormity of the potential exposure, consider this--116 
million curies of Iodine-131 were released by the above ground nuclear 
weapons testing in the United States compared with 7.3 million from the 
Chernobyl nuclear power plant disaster in the former Soviet Union. 
Exposing our citizens to these risks is unacceptable.
  The ``Hot Spots'' included many areas far away from Nevada, including 
New York, Massachusetts and Iowa. Due to the character of Iodine-131, 
those exposed to the highest concentrations were those who drank large 
amounts of milk from cows that grazed in fields with radiation fallout. 
Because their thyroids are smaller and still growing, children were 
most vulnerable.
  Mr. Anderson grew up in Iowa in Woodbury County , an area noted as a 
hot spot by the National Cancer Institute (NCI). He also suffered from 
Thyroid cancer. It is understandable that his family now wonders 
whether his cancer could have been detected and treated more 
effectively if the NCI information was known earlier.
  This hits very close to home for me. During the 1950's, like Bob 
Anderson, I was living in a rural Iowa county which has now been 
identified as a ``Hot Spot'' by the long delayed National Cancer 
Institute study. Along with many Iowans, I drank milk from cows kept on 
the farm. This increased the risk faced by myself and my family because 
of the accumulation of radioactive iodine in milk.
  When it comes to the government and nuclear testing, history shows 
the problem hasn't just been a fallout of radiation, but withholding of 
facts which may be detrimental to the public health. Information has 
come to light that government officials were aware that fallout from 
nuclear testing would contaminate areas that were hundreds, even 
thousands, of miles away. Additionally, it is outrageous that the 
government provided maps and forecasts of potential radioactive 
contamination to the Kodak film corporation during the 1950's and not 
to the American public. As I've said before, if we could protect a roll 
of film, we should have protected the parents and children.
  On October 1, 1997, the Senate Labor, Health and Human Services 
Appropriations Subcommittee held hearings where I raised questions 
about Iodine-131 fallout and its impact on our nation's citizens. I am 
working with NCI and other federal health agencies to ensure that 
useful and timely guidelines on the health impacts of radioactive 
fallout from nuclear weapons testing gets to physicians and concerned 
scientists. Although NCI has started this process, a lot more needs to 
be done.

[[Page S857]]

  There is strong evidence that exposure to other radioactive isotopes, 
such as strontium 90, cesium 137, and barium 140, which were also 
spread by nuclear testing, 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 in other 
parts of the United States and around the world. I am hopeful that my 
colleagues will support legislation I have introduced, S.1524, which 
continues the study of the health impacts of nuclear fallout. I feel 
this is important legislation that needs to become law this year.
  I am grateful to the Anderson family for sharing their highly 
personal and powerful story of the struggle with Bob's illness and the 
lack of forthcoming information on the potential exposure to radiation 
fallout in the 1950's. A story like the Anderson's underscores the need 
for accurate and timely dissemination of information to protect the 
public health.
  Mr. President, I ask to include a letter from the Anderson family in 
the Record.
  The letter follows:
                                  Urbandale, IA, January 20, 1997.
     Hon. Tom Harkin,
     U.S. Senator, Federal Building, Des Moines, IA.
       Dear Senator Harkin: My name is Bob Anderson. My family has 
     been reading with great interest the newspaper articles that 
     have appeared in the Des Moines Register regarding the 
     radioactive fallout that resulted from the more than 90 
     atomic bombs detonated above and below ground between 1951 
     and 1970. I was born in Woodbury County on October 3, 1952 
     and lived there until I left to attend college in 1970. As 
     you are aware, Woodbury County received moderate levels of 
     radioactive fallout (6.1 rads) from the above-ground atomic 
     bomb tests between 1951 and 1962, and was one of four 
     counties to be repeated in the list of Iowa counties 
     receiving radiation from underground nuclear tests (1960-
     1970).
       In October 1992, at the age of 40, I noticed a large lump 
     in my neck and showed the lump to my family physician during 
     my annual physical exam. He told me that the lump was just a 
     fat deposit and to go home and not worry about it. About six 
     months later, I mentioned the lump to my wife and she advised 
     me to see a specialist as soon as possible. In March of 1993, 
     I went to an ear, nose and throat specialist who spent 
     several weeks performing a needle biopsy with no results. In 
     April of 1993, I underwent a thyroidectomy. The surgeon 
     removed only the side of my thyroid which contained the 
     tumor. Two weeks later the final biopsy confirmed the 2\1/4\ 
     centimeter tumor was malignant. I then saw an oncologist who 
     advised me the other side of my thyroid should be removed 
     immediately so I could start my radioactive iodine treatments 
     to rid my body of any remaining cancerous thyroid tissue. I 
     visited another surgeon the remove the remaining thyroid. He 
     was very apologetic but said that he could not remove the 
     rest of my thyroid until my incision was completely healed 
     which would take six more months. From the time I first 
     showed the lump to a physician until the time that I received 
     my radioactive thyroid treatments for cancer, over one year 
     had elapsed.
       My family wonders if the information from the National 
     Cancer Institute had only been released earlier, if my 
     physicians would have taken a more serious approach to the 
     ``fat deposit'' in my neck. The also wonder if this 
     information had been made available to the public earlier, if 
     I would have been so trusting of my doctors' opinions. Many 
     wrong choices and assumptions were made in regard to my 
     thyroid cancer. Knowledge is power and without the knowledge 
     of the exposure I had as a youth to the radioactive fallout, 
     I was rendered powerless.
       In 1996 I was diagnosed with multiple myeloma, a very 
     deadly cancer. I went to the University of Iowa Hospital and 
     found out that I had had the multiple myeloma at the same 
     time that I had the thyroid cancer. In order to survive, I 
     would have to undergo a bone marrow transplant. Because I was 
     adopted, I could not find a related bone marrow donor. An 
     unrelated donor was located, and in July of 1996 I received 
     my bone marrow transplant. On September 7, 1996, in spite of 
     the love and prayers of family and friends, I died from 
     rejection of the transplant.
       After my death, my wife, Karen, saw Dr. Andrea McGuire 
     (nuclear medicine physician) interviewed on TV13. When Dr. 
     McGuire told about her three in-laws from Woodbury County who 
     had all developed thyroid cancer, my wife decided to call her 
     to share my story. One of Dr. McGuire's relatives was born 
     the same year that I had been born (1952) and also developed 
     cancer at age 40 like me. My wife read to Dr. McGuire a 
     portion from a National Cancer Institute publication 
     entitled, ``What You Need to Know About Multiple Myeloma.'' 
     In that publication, under the subheading, ``Possible 
     Causes,'' it states, Some research suggests that certain risk 
     factors increase a person's chance of getting multiple 
     myeloma. * * * In addition, people exposed to large amounts 
     of radiation (such as survivors of the atomic bomb explosions 
     in Japan) have an increased risk for this disease. Scientists 
     have some concern that small amounts of radiation (such as 
     those radiologists and workers in nuclear plants are exposed 
     to) also may increase the risk.'' Dr. McGuire not only agreed 
     my multiple myeloma was caused by the radioactive fallout but 
     even told my wife that the radionuclide strontium 89 would 
     have been directly responsible since it collects in the bone 
     marrow after it is ingested by the body.
       The main purpose of my letter is to let you know my family 
     believes that I was a victim of radioactive fallout. I, like 
     millions of others, was an innocent infant when the atomic 
     bomb tests were being conducted. I can't think of anything 
     more evil than a government that would intentionally 
     contaminate their own population, especially babies and small 
     children.
       I have enclosed some photos of myself and my family. I want 
     you to see what I looked like as a small child when the 
     atomic bombs were being detonated. I want you to see that I 
     was a caring son, wonderful brother, loving husband, adored 
     father and I treasured friend.
       Since I could not write this letter for myself, my family 
     and friends decided to write it for me. I hope you don't mind 
     that they have signed it for me also.
       Senator Harkin, please keep fighting for the truth. Only 
     when the American people have the whole truth, will they have 
     the power and control over their own lives. It is my hope 
     that this letter will encourage the release of all 
     information that the government has regarding radioactivity 
     and it's connection with all forms of cancers. It is also my 
     prayer that this information may help others.
       Senator Harkin, please don't forget me. Please don't let my 
     death be in vain.
       In Loving Memory of Bob Anderson,
                                            Karen Anderson, Widow.
                                           Leah Anderson, Daugher.
     Seth Anderson, Sen.

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