[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 33 (Wednesday, March 22, 2000)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E389]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    RONGELAP RESETTLEMENT EXTENSION

                                 ______
                                 

                             HON. DON YOUNG

                               of alaska

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, March 22, 2000

  Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, I want my colleagues to be aware of 
a constructive and welcome agreement concluded this month by the 
Department of the Interior with the Rongelap Atoll Local Government 
which is a direct result of a bill passed by the House last year. H.R. 
2970, ``A bill 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.'' The primary intent of the legislation which I introduced 
with the Senior Democratic Member of the Committee on Resources, George 
Miller, was to extend for ten years the existing resettlement agreement 
initially required by Congress. Finally, the objective of Congress in 
H.R. 2970 was accomplished with the signing on March 10, 2000, of the 
Memorandum of Agreement on Implementation of the ``Agreement Regarding 
United States Assistance in the Resettlement of Rongelap Concluded 
Between the United States Department of the Interior and the Rongelap 
Atoll Local Government''.
  Rongelap is an atoll in Micronesia and the home of people and islands 
which was contaminated by high level radioactivity during the U.S. 
nuclear testing program in the Marshall Islands. The United States 
provides assistance to this former Trust Territory community in 
accordance with the Compact of Free Association between the United 
States and the Republic of the Marshall Islands, as well as subsequent 
treaties and agreements relating to the current resettlement projects 
at Rongelap Island. The background on H.R. 2970 and Rongelap 
resettlement is set forth in House Report 106-404.
  The Committee on Resources, which I chair, developed H.R. 2970 on a 
bipartisan basis, recognizing the success to date of the resettlement 
and radiological rehabilitation of Rongelap and the need to continue 
the decision-making process of the resettlement of Rongelap by the 
local atoll government, rather than directly by the Department of the 
Interior. However, the legislation was also in recognition that the 
Department of the Interior had done a good job carrying out the 
resettlement policies embodied in Section 103(i) of Public Law 99-239, 
Public Law 102-154, and Section 118(d) of Public Law 104-134. 
Specifically, in the bill, we agreed to continue for at least another 
ten years the current program under which the Rongelap Atoll Local 
Government (RALGOV) manages the Rongelap Resettlement Trust Fund and 
determines its use to achieve the resettlement goals defined by the 
Rongelap people and address their current condition of dislocation.
  On October 26, 1999, the House unanimously approved H.R. 2970, to 
extend by law the program for the resettlement of Rongelap which has 
been established by the Department of the Interior as directed by 
Congress under statutes authorizing resettlement assistance. The bill 
was referred to the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, 
which is chaired by my good friend from Alaska, Senator Frank 
Murkowski. I believe the Senate's willingness to take consideration of 
H.R. 2970 if the current policy were not continued by agreement between 
DOI and RALGOV contributed directly to the recent conclusion of just 
such an agreement.
  What the DOI and RALGOV have now agreed to and accepted are indeed 
the same result as would have obtained under H.R. 2970. This outcome 
could have been accomplished by agreement of the parties or enactment 
of legislation, and I am pleased that the House action approving H.R. 
2970 and the Senate's support for the underlying policy led the parties 
to take the initiative and agree to extend that policy for ten years as 
the House bill provided.
  While the Secretary of Interior necessarily retains the power to 
disapprove use of the trust fund in a way that does not advance 
resettlement or address the conditions of dislocation, we believe 
RALGOV established a good record administering the resettlement 
program. Use of up to 50% of the annual earnings of the trust fund for 
local government operations so that it can bear the costs and burdens 
of administering the resettlement program has proven the efficient and 
economical way to carry out the resettlement program.
  Without enabling the local government to support and manage the 
resettlement program directly, a community decision-making process and 
administrative structure that would duplicate the local government 
would have to be created to manage the resettlement process. Instead, 
the local government has taken responsibility for resettlement, dealing 
with dislocation and resettlement have become the central organizing 
mission and purpose of the local government instead of a program being 
carried out by the U.S. government. This has a democratic institution 
building effect for the community, and ensures a stable policy and 
program. This is important for planning purposes because resettlement 
is a long term project the ground rules for which should not change 
unless there is a good reason for it.
  I commend the Rongelap Atoll Local Government for its successful 
management of Phase I of the resettlement program. Mayor James 
Matayoshi has improved local government operations in order to make 
RALGOV administration of resettlement possible. Coordination and 
cooperation between the local council and the Marshall Islands 
government is enabling far greater progress than anyone expected. With 
the extension of the agreement for ten years, Rongelap leaders can 
confidently engage in long-term planning and take action locally 
consistent with the federally-funded resettlement plan to move forward 
in the process of both physical resettlement, radiological 
rehabilitation, and cultural recovery that is taking place under the 
resettlement program.
  Following is the agreement by the Department of the Interior with the 
Rongelap Atoll Local Government, dated March 10, 2000:

Memorandum of Agreement on Implementation of the ``Agreement Regarding 
  United States Assistance in the Resettlement of Rongelap Concluded 
 Between the United States Department of the Interior and the Rongelap 
                        Atoll Local Government''

       1. With respect to implementation of the ``Agreement 
     Regarding United States Assistance in the Resettlement of 
     Rongelap Concluded Between the United States Department of 
     the Interior and the Rongelap Atoll Local Government'', dated 
     September 19, 1996, as amended, it is hereby agreed that 
     Section 3 thereof, as amended effective September 29, 1999, 
     shall terminate at the end of fiscal year 2010, unless 
     extended thereafter by agreement of the Secretary of the 
     Interior or applicable law.
       2. This agreement shall enter into full effect upon its 
     signature on behalf of the United States Department of the 
     Interior and the Rongelap Atoll Local Government.
       Date: March 10, 2000.
     John Berry,
       Assistant Secretary for Policy, Management and Budget.

       For the United States Department of the Interior.

       Date: March 10, 2000.
     Howard Hills,
       Counsel for Resettlement Affairs.

       For the Rongelap Atoll Local Government.

       

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