[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 147 (Tuesday, October 26, 1999)]
[House]
[Pages H10787-H10789]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   RONGELAP RESETTLEMENT ACT OF 1999

  Mr. SAXTON. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 2970) to prescribe certain terms for the resettlement of the 
people of Rongelap Atoll due to conditions created at Rongelap during 
United States administration of the Trust Territory of the Pacific 
Islands, and for other purposes.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                               H.R. 2970

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

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``Rongelap Resettlement Act of 
     1999''.

     SEC. 2. RONGELAP RESETTLEMENT AGREEMENT.

       The ``Agreement Regarding United States Assistance in the 
     Resettlement of Rongelap Concluded Between the United States 
     Department of the Interior and Rongelap Atoll Local 
     Government'', accepted by the Secretary of the Interior on 
     behalf of the President on September 19, 1996, as amended, 
     shall continue in effect: Provided, That the authority to 
     make disbursements pursuant to section 3 of such Agreement is 
     extended for a period of 10 years after the existing 
     authority terminates and that all such disbursements are--
       (1) subject to the percentum limitation set forth in the 
     Agreement;
       (2) used by the Rongelap Atoll local government to manage 
     and support community reunification, recovery, and 
     mobilization for resettlement, and other activities 
     associated with and in support of resettlement for the 
     dislocated populations at Majuro, Ebeye, Mejatto, and 
     elsewhere in the Marshall Islands; and
       (3) subject to the disapproval of the Secretary based upon 
     a determination that a particular use of funds does not 
     effectively contribute to resettlement or address conditions 
     of dislocation.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from New 
Jersey (Mr. Saxton) and the gentleman from Guam (Mr. Underwood) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Saxton).


                             General Leave

  Mr. SAXTON. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may 
have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks 
and include extraneous material on H.R. 2970.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from New Jersey?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. SAXTON. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, Rongelap Atoll is one of four atolls which were 
contaminated by high-level radiation from nuclear testing during the 
time the islands were administered as a trust territory by the United 
States. The people of Rongelap were first forced to leave their home in 
1954. Since that time, they have returned to reside in Rongelap based 
on incorrect assurances that the islands were safe.
  Now, after independent, scientific studies confirmed by the 
Department of Energy and the National Academy of Science, a federally 
funded resettlement plan is being implemented with the full involvement 
and consent of the Rongelap community. In 1996, Congress provided trust 
funds for the implementation of this plan for the resettlement

[[Page H10788]]

of the 2,900 Rongelapese living in various parts of the Marshall 
Islands. Congress also required the administration to enter into an 
agreement with the Rongelap community to manage the resettlement 
process.
  H.R. 2970, Mr. Speaker, approves this resettlement agreement, allows 
the distribution of funds already provided by Congress for this purpose 
and provides that the Secretary of Interior may disapprove expenditures 
that do not effectively advance resettlement.
  This legislation, introduced by the gentleman from Alaska (Chairman 
Young) and the ranking Democrat of the Committee on Resources, the 
gentleman from California (Mr. Miller), creates no cost to the Federal 
Government and is supported by the Rongelap community and the Marshall 
Islands. I urge all Members to support the measure.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. UNDERWOOD. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  (Mr. UNDERWOOD asked and was given permission to revise and extend 
his remarks.)
  Mr. UNDERWOOD. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to support the passage of 
H.R. 2970, which provides for the continuance of the 1996 Rongelap 
Resettlement Agreement between the Department of Interior, the Rongelap 
Atoll local government and the Republic of the Marshall Islands. 
Without this legislation, the resettlement activities being carried out 
by Rongelap's local government would be jeopardized and the eventual 
return of the Rongelap people back to their Atoll could be delayed well 
into the next millennium.
  As you may know, Rongelap, as has been pointed out by the gentleman 
from New Jersey (Mr. Saxton), is one of four atolls of the Marshall 
Islands which were contaminated due to nuclear testing during the time 
the islands were administered as part of the Trust Territory of the 
Pacific islands and as a U.N. trusteeship under the control of the 
United States.
  In the post-World War II era, islands that were identified as nuclear 
test sites by the U.S. were evacuated and their people displaced from 
their homelands which they had known for centuries. The resulting 
contamination of their land and surrounding coral reef ecosystems have 
made it very difficult for their safe return to their islands.
  In 1996 Congress authorized the implementation of a plan for the 
resettlement of the people of Rongelap, which now comprises a 
population of some 2,900 persons. Congress expressly required the 
President to establish an agreement to govern the resettlement process 
as intended by Public Law 104-134. In fulfilling that requirement, the 
Secretary of the Department of Interior entered into an agreement with 
the Rongelap Atoll local government for a resettlement program that 
includes radiological rehabilitation and reconstruction of the islands, 
as well as a community recovery and reunification program.
  A trust fund established by Public Law 102-154 ensures that the local 
government is able to carry out the resettlement program. The principle 
of the trust fund requires that 50 percent of the annual income be 
dedicated to island rehabilitation. An amount not to exceed 50 percent 
of the income is made available to Rongelap's local government to 
manage and administer the resettlement program through their local 
government. This enables the government to carry out community recovery 
programs and address the needs of the Rongelap people through 
government services and support efforts.
  This arrangement is set to expire next year unless Congress acts now 
to extend that authority. If the current arrangement is permitted to 
terminate, a resettlement administering authority that would 
essentially duplicate the local government would have to be established 
and funded in order to organize and mobilize the community for 
resettlement. This process could take many years to complete and would 
only serve to delay the return of the Rongelap people, which is our 
objective and which is their objective, and a legitimate one at that.
  The success of the Rongelap local government, however, to carry out 
resettlement activities, has far exceeded the agreement and 
expectations of both the Congress and the Department of Interior. In 
recognition of their success and progress, it would be imprudent to 
abort the current approach.
  This legislation is clearly bipartisan, supported by the Rongelap 
Atoll local government, cosponsored by the Committee on Resources 
chairman, the gentleman from Alaska (Mr. Young), and the committee's 
ranking member, the gentleman from California (Mr. Miller). I 
congratulate both of them for acting swiftly to ensure that the forward 
progress of the Rongelap government is continued.
  I also recognize and congratulate my fellow island brothers. I 
represent an area that is closest to the Marshall Islands of all the 
districts represented in the House. I congratulate my fellow islands 
brothers and sisters for their effective management of the resettlement 
trust fund and their success in planning and discharging sound public 
policies to resettle their homelands.
  I encourage my colleagues to support the passage of this legislation.
  Mr. Speaker, I include for the Record a statement from His 
Excellency, Banny deBrum, the ambassador of the Marshall Islands to the 
United States.

            Embassy of the Republic of the Marshall Islands

     To: Hon. Robert Underwood.
     From: RMI Embassy.
     Subject: House Committee Report.
     Date: October 26, 1999.
       Dear Congressman Underwood: The RMI agrees with the 
     findings and recommendation set forth in House Report 106-
     404, adopted unanimously by the Resources Committee on 
     October 20, 1999. As documented in Appendix B of the 
     Committee's report, the Republic of the Marshall Islands 
     (RMI) strongly supports the request of the Rongelap Atoll 
     Local Government (RALGOV) for ratification by Congress of the 
     resettlement program established by agreement between the 
     Department of the Interior (DOI, RMI and Rongelap. The 
     resettlement program fulfills the policy goals set forth by 
     Congress in Section 118(d) of P.L. 104-134, and since all 
     parties view the policy and the programs a success, Rongelap 
     and the RMI do not want to leave continuation of the program 
     to chance as the years pass, and as priorities at DOI change 
     for reasons that have nothing to do with Rongelap or the 
     resettlement program.
       H.R. 2970 carries out the express intention of Congress as 
     stated in P.L. 102-154 (105 Stat. 1009) that the Rongelap 
     Resettlement Trust Fund be used by the local government to 
     carry out a resettlement program based on a self-
     determination process for the community. Congress required 
     Rongelap to enter into an agreement with the Executive 
     Branch, and a 1996 agreement between DOI and Rongelap, with 
     approval of the RMI, satisfies that requirement.
       Under the 1996 DOI agreement, the Rongelapese are empowered 
     to be in control of their own resettlement. This means that 
     the scientist can investigate and recommend ways to mitigate 
     radiological contamination, engineers and construction 
     contractors can carry out radiological rehabilitation 
     projects, and government officials can exercise oversight, 
     but the decisions about resettlement are made by the people.
       This is a significant improvement over past resettlement 
     program in which the islanders were relocated again and again 
     without meaningful participation in planning or decision-
     making. DOI is to be commended for agreeing to a program that 
     gives the Rongelapese the final word on what measures to 
     advance resettlement will be taken. This makes the people who 
     must decide whether to go back to Rongelap or resettle 
     elsewhere the ability to take control of their own destiny 
     after decades of being controlled by federal officials with 
     an agenda having little to do with the future well-being of 
     the community.
       H.R. 2970 preserves the authority of the Secretary of the 
     Interior to disapprove of any expenditure which is determined 
     not to be an effective use of funds to address the conditions 
     of dislocation or to advance resettlement. This bill also 
     preserves limits on the use of annual earnings of the 
     resettlement trust fund by the local government, while 
     recognizing the importance of local government operations and 
     resettlement programs to the success of the overall effort. 
     Thus, this bill confirms the policy DOI has adopted under 
     Section 118(d) of P.L. 104-134, and extends the current 
     program for 10 years instead of allowing it to expire in 
     2000.
       If the resettlement program were not ahead of schedule, if 
     the local government were not operating efficiently and 
     effectively to achieve resettlement within the framework of 
     law and policy DOI required under the resettlement agreement 
     it approved in 1996, then we might want to modify or change 
     the ground rules for the program. However, since the 
     Rongelapese have met every requirement imposed by DOI and 
     exceeded DOI's expectations for implementation of the 
     resettlement program, it would be unwise and unfair to change 
     the policy, the program or the ground rules now.
       Given the unpredictability of U.S. actions and policies 
     that resulted in exposure of the

[[Page H10789]]

     Rongelapese to near lethal high level radiation during the 
     U.S. nuclear testing program, given the fact that some of 
     their people were used for epidemiological research and 
     testing not related to medical treatment and without the 
     knowledge or consent of the test subjects, given the fact 
     that they were returned to their island in 1957 and told by 
     the AEC that it was safe, and given the determination by the 
     National Academy of Sciences in 1993 that they should not 
     inhabit that island until it has been made safe through a 
     scientifically monitored program of radiological 
     rehabilitation, I think 10 years of predictability in U.S. 
     policy regarding their radiological clean up of their islands 
     and resettlement of the community if and when their homeland 
     is safe is not too much to ask. DOI has a successful program, 
     and this bill will make sure it continues.
       Thank you for your continued support and allow this 
     important opportunity to share the RMI Government's position 
     on H.R. 2970.
           Sincerely,
                                                     Banny deBrum,
                                                       Ambassador.

  Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from America Samoa 
(Mr. Faleomavaega).
  (Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA asked and was given permission to revise and extend 
his remarks.)
  Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the gentleman from 
Guam for yielding me such time to express my support for this 
legislation. I also want to express my appreciation to the gentleman 
from New Jersey (Chairman Saxton) for his leadership in managing this 
bill before the Members of the chamber.
  Mr. Speaker, the people of Rongelap Atoll, like those from Bikini 
Atoll in the Marshall Islands, have been suffering for decades because 
of the nuclear testing activities of the United States Government 
earlier.
  Through the efforts of this committee, Congress passed legislation in 
1996 which is assisting the people of Rongelap in establishing a 
resettlement plan. From the trust fund established in 1992, 50 percent 
of the annual income is dedicated to island rehabilitation, 
reconstruction and resettlement programs. The other half of the trust 
income is available to continue the resettlement program through the 
local government. This is working well, and I certainly hope that my 
colleagues will support the bill.
  Mr. Speaker, the people of Rongelap Atoll were victims of the most 
powerful nuclear explosion ever known to man at that time, the first 
hydrogen bomb explosion in the Marshall Islands in the Pacific in 1954, 
a 15 megaton explosion that was approximately 1,000 times more 
powerful, 1,000 times more power than the atom bombs we dropped on 
Hiroshima and Nagasaki during World War II.
  The people of Rongelap did not even know what had happened, other 
than the fact that they first observed a terrifying brilliant flash of 
light over 100 miles away, then the shifting winds that brought them a 
powder-like substance that they innocently washed themselves with, only 
to result in severe burns and rashes. The color of the ocean turned 
yellow. Severe vomiting and illnesses of all sorts soon followed; and 
as a result of this wrong our government had committed against the 
people of Rongelap, the health of these people has never been the same.
  Mr. Speaker, the records indicate our government did commit a grave 
wrong against the people of Rongelap. The U.S. officials responsible 
for this hydrogen bomb explosion knew, knew, that the winds had shifted 
at least 3 to 4 hours before the nuclear hydrogen explosion would take 
place.
  Mr. Speaker, our military officials knew that with the shifting 
winds, the nuclear fallout would be going directly towards the island 
of Rongelap and all the men, women, and children living in Rongelap 
were subjected to radioactive contamination. So now our government is 
making an effort to at least compensate in some fashion the residents 
of Rongelap Atoll.
  Mr. Speaker, no amount of money will ever restore these people back 
to normal health, but I do submit that I want to thank sincerely the 
gentleman from Alaska (Mr. Young), the chairman of the Committee on 
Resources, and the gentleman from California (Mr. Miller), the ranking 
member, and thank again the gentleman from New Jersey (Chairman Saxton) 
for their leadership and efforts which are bringing this legislation 
forward to, at least with some sense of conscience, make available some 
kind of assistance to these people that were subjected to this serious 
nuclear explosion that our government made in 1954.
  I urge my colleagues to support this bill.
  Mr. UNDERWOOD. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. SAXTON. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Saxton) that the House suspend the rules 
and pass the bill, H.R. 2970.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds having voted in favor 
thereof) the rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

                          ____________________