[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 170 (Friday, November 21, 2003)]
[House]
[Pages H12125-H12126]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




            CONVEYANCE OF DECOMMISSIONED SHIP TO UTROK ATOLL

  Mr. CALVERT. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 2584) to provide for the conveyance to the Utrok Atoll local 
government of a decommissioned National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
Administration ship, as amended.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                               H.R. 2584

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

          TITLE I--UTROK ATOLL RADIOLOGICAL MONITORING SUPPORT

     SEC. 101. UTROK ATOLL RADIOLOGICAL MONITORING SUPPORT.

       (a) In support of radiological monitoring, rehabilitation, 
     and resettlement of Utrok Atoll, whose residents were 
     affected by United States nuclear testing, the Secretary of 
     Commerce may convey to the Utrok Atoll local government 
     without consideration, all right, title, and interest of the 
     United States in and to a decommissioned National Oceanic and 
     Atmospheric Administration ship in operable condition.
       (b) The Government of the United States shall not be 
     responsible or liable for any maintenance or operation of a 
     vessel conveyed under this section after the date of the 
     delivery of the vessel to Utrok.

 TITLE II--RATIFICATION OF CERTAIN NOAA APPOINTMENTS, PROMOTIONS, AND 
                                ACTIONS

     SEC. 201. RATIFICATION OF CERTAIN NOAA APPOINTMENTS, 
                   PROMOTIONS, AND ACTIONS.

       All action in the line of duty by, and all Federal agency 
     actions in relation to (including with respect to pay, 
     benefits, and retirement) a de facto officer of the 
     commissioned corps of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
     Administration who was appointed or promoted to that office 
     without Presidential action, and without the advice and 
     consent of the Senate, during such time as the officer was 
     not properly appointed in or promoted to that office, are 
     hereby ratified and approved if otherwise in accord with the 
     law, and the President alone may, without regard to any other 
     law relating to appointments or promotions in such corps, 
     appoint or promote such a de facto officer temporarily, 
     without change in the grade currently occupied in a de facto 
     capacity, as an officer in such corps for a period ending not 
     later than 180 days from the date of enactment of this Act.

           TITLE III--INTERNATIONAL FISHERIES REAUTHORIZATION

     SEC. 301. SHORT TITLE.

       This title may be cited as the ``International Fisheries 
     Reauthorization Act of 2003''.

     SEC. 302. EXTENSION OF PERIOD FOR REIMBURSEMENT UNDER 
                   FISHERMEN'S PROTECTIVE ACT OF 1967.

       Section 7(e) of the Fishermen's Protective Act of 1967 (22 
     U.S.C. 1977(e)) is amended by striking ``2003'' and inserting 
     ``2008''.

     SEC. 303. REAUTHORIZATION OF YUKON RIVER SALMON ACT OF 2000.

       Section 208 of the Yukon River Salmon Act of 2000 (16 
     U.S.C. 5727) is amended by striking ``2000'' and all that 
     follows through ``2003'' and inserting ``2004 through 2008''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
California (Mr. Calvert) and the gentlewoman from the Virgin Islands 
(Mrs. Christensen) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from California (Mr. Calvert).


                             General Leave

  Mr. CALVERT. Madam 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. 2584, as amended.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from California?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. CALVERT. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Madam Speaker, H.R. 2584 will transfer a decommissioned NOAA vessel 
to the Utrok Atoll local government in the Republic of the Marshall 
Islands. The Utrok Atoll is one of 29 low coral atolls in the Marshall 
Islands that is inhabited by 600 people.
  This small atoll has been exposed to the horrible effects of 
radioactive pollution during our nuclear bomb testing period. These 
citizens require ongoing tests, monitoring and medical care; and it is 
currently difficult for them to obtain access to that care.
  The fundamental goal of this legislation is to provide these citizens 
with a reliable, safe means of transportation to the city of Majuro. 
This city is the capital of the Marshall Islands and is more than 300 
miles from the Utrok Atoll.
  The NOAA vessel likely affected by this measure is the McArthur. The 
ship is 175 feet long, has a cruising speed of 10 knots, a cruising 
range of over 6,000 nautical miles and a draft of 12 feet. It was 
commissioned as a NOAA research vessel in 1966 and decommissioned on 
May 20, 2003.
  Under the terms of H.R. 2584, all rights, title, and interest in the 
ship are transferred to the Utrok Atoll government. The vessel must be 
in operable condition prior to the actual transfer; but in the future, 
all maintenance, responsibility, and liabilities are conveyed to the 
Utrok Atoll government.

                              {time}  1115

  Title II of the bill is a corrective measure for the Department of 
Commerce which may approve appointments and confirmations made for the 
NOAA Corps in the Clinton and Bush administrations. This measure has 
been unanimously adopted by the other body.
  Title III of the bill reauthorizes two important laws dealing with 
international fisheries, the Fisherman's Protective Act and the Yukon 
River Salmon Act. Identical language was incorporated in H.R. 2048 
which unanimously passed the House of Representatives on October 20 of 
this year. This

[[Page H12126]]

title is noncontroversial and simply extends these two acts for an 
additional 5 years at existing funding levels.
  Madam Speaker, I compliment the gentleman from American Samoa (Mr. 
Faleomavaega) for sponsoring this bill, and urge my colleagues to 
support this important humanitarian effort.
  Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  (Mrs. CHRISTENSEN asked and was given permission to revise and extend 
her remarks.)
  Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. Madam Speaker, as stated by the previous speaker, 
H.R. 2584 is noncontroversial legislation that would convey a 
decommissioned research vessel formerly operated by the National 
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to the local government of Utrok 
Atoll located in the Republic of the Marshall Islands.
  Congress should do whatever we can to help the residents of Utrok 
Atoll. It is imperative that they receive the critical medical testing 
and treatment necessary to address the increased rates of thyroid 
cancer and birth defects that have arisen as a result of the U.S. 
nuclear testing program we conducted in the Northern Marshall Islands 
between 1946 and 1958.
  The conveyance of this former NOAA vessel will allow more convenient 
and less expensive transportation for these residents who have to make 
a 265-mile trip to the neighboring islands of Majuro where the medical 
facilities are located.
  I commend the gentleman from American Samoa (Mr. Faleomavaega) for 
introducing this legislation to help the residents of this very remote 
atoll in the Pacific Ocean.
  This legislation also contains a very important amendment to address 
a problem regarding serious lapses in procedure affecting past 
appointments and promotions for NOAA's Uniformed Corps of Officers.
  It is important that the chain of command of the NOAA Corps not be 
disrupted. And while any future repeat of these procedural lapses may 
not be tolerated, this matter must be addressed expeditiously to 
prevent any operational or command dysfunction from arising.
  I urge all Members to support this legislation.
  Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 2584, a 
bill I introduced to assist our friends from Utrok Atoll as they 
continue efforts to resettle and rehabilitate their islands as a result 
of the effects of the United States nuclear testing in the Marshal 
Islands. I would like to express my gratitude to Chairman Richard Pombo 
and Ranking Member Nick Rahall of the Resources Committee for their 
continued support of Pacific Island issues. I would also like to thank 
my distinguished colleagues and co-sonsors--Congressmen Anibal Acevedo-
Vila (PR), Dan Burton (IN), John Doolittle (CA), Elton Gallegly (CA), 
Jeff Flake (AZ) and Congresswoman Madeleine Bordallo (Guam).
  The purpose of this proposed legislation is simply to authorize the 
Secretary of Commerce to convey a decommissioned, operable NOAA vessel 
to the Government of Utrok. The vessel would be used to provide support 
for radiological monitoring, rehabilitation and resettlement of Utrok, 
an atoll that is part of the Republic of the Marshall Islands.
  As you know, many of the Marshall Islands atolls were devastated by 
the effects of the U.S. Nuclear Testing activities during the 1940's 
and 50's. Utrok was one of four atolls acknowledged by the U.S. 
Government and suffering unsafe radiologicval exposure and its 
residents were forced to evacuate 72 hours after the miscalculated 
Bravo shot. Two months later, the people of Utrok were assured it was 
safe to return home. We know now that this was a grave mistake because 
Utrok residents have since suffered increased radiological illnesses 
and birth defects. Today, the people of Utrok are seeking to 
rehabilitate their home island so that it is a safe place to live.
  Last year a comprehensive scientific report recommended a potassium 
fertilizer treatment to accompany the ongoing resettlement process on 
Utrok, a treatment which would suppress the remaining radioactive 
Cesium-137 in the soil and prevent its further uptake in the food 
supply. In addition, the U.S. Department of Energy concluded a MOU with 
Utrok that committed the DOE to build a Whole body Counting (WBC) 
facility in order to monitor radioactivity levels in the people of 
Utrok. This new facility is located about 265 miles away in Majuro and 
will be used to ensure that the potassium fertilizer regime is 
effective and the administration of the fertilizer treatment is done 
properly. However, Utrok residents are responsible for their own 
transportation to Majuro. Transportation by plane is expensive and 
available only once per week, and is unreliable, as the Utrok runway is 
in disrepair and the airline often declines to land. Travel by 
commercial ships, although less expensive, is infrequent and 
unfeasible.
  One solution to help facilitate transportation between Utrok and 
Majuro is to transfer a decommissioned NOAA vessel to the Utrok Atoll 
Local Government. In addition to transport of Utrok residents to the 
WBC facility, the vessel will be used for moving several tons of 
potassium fertilizer, transporting equipment and materials for 
radiological remediation, and transporting USDA food supplies. Because 
of the Cesium-137 contamination is locally grown food, at least 50% of 
the diet of Utrok residents must be imported to limit the risk of 
radiological poisoning.
  The Utrok Atoll Local Government also fully supports this measure and 
adopted are solution (022-03) on July 4th 2003 stating that the NOAA 
vessel transfer would be ``one of the crucial needs that will fully 
support our future goals to develop, rehabilitate and resettle the 
atoll after the aftermath of the `Bravo' fallout''. The Utrok 
Government also expects the ship to be available for use by other 
atolls for their respective communities, who will help pay for the 
ongoing maintenance of the vessel.
  Mr. Speaker, I am hopeful that this bill will remind the Congress of 
our ongoing responsibility to the people of RMI for the mistakes the 
United States made regarding its nuclear testing activities in the Asia 
Pacific region. Once again, I urge my colleagues to support this 
important legislation and I thank my colleagues for their support.
  Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. CALVERT. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mrs. Biggert). The question is on the motion 
offered by the gentleman from California (Mr. Calvert) that the House 
suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 2584, as amended.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds having voted in favor 
thereof) the rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
  The title of the bill was amended so as to read: ``A bill to provide 
for the conveyance to the Utrok Atoll local government of a 
decommissioned National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration ship, 
and for other purposes.''.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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