Congressional Record: May 12, 1999 (House)
Page H3063-H3065
ENSURING PROPER COMPENSATION FOR THE NUCLEAR CLAIMS, RELOCATION AND
RESETTLEMENT COSTS OF THE PEOPLE OF THE REPUBLIC OF THE MARSHALL
ISLANDS
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the
gentleman from American Samoa (Mr. Faleomavaega) is recognized for 5
minutes.
Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, yesterday, the House Committee on
Resources held a hearing on a subject that I feel is critically
important, and I wanted to take this opportunity to share it with our
colleagues and to our Nation.
Mr. Speaker, I deeply commend the gentleman from Alaska (Mr. Young),
the House Committee on Resources chairman, and the gentleman from
California (Mr. George Miller), the committee's ranking Democrat for
convening a hearing to review the long-term effects of America's
nuclear testing program on our close friends and long time allies, the
good people of the Republic of the Marshall Islands.
Mr. Speaker, our great Nation owes an immense debt to the Marshallese
people for their tremendous sacrifices that directly contributed to and
continues to contribute to our Nation's nuclear deterrent and ballistic
missile defense capability.
Mr. Speaker, the United States in the 1950s detonated 67 nuclear
bombs in the homeland of the Marshallese people, directly facilitating
development of America's nuclear arsenal while poisoning the
environment and the people in the Marshall Islands.
Today the Marshallese people continue to contribute to America's
security by providing U.S. testing facilities at Kwajalein Atoll. This
atoll, Mr. Speaker, happens to be the largest atoll in the world, for
development of our Nation's ballistic missile defense against rogue
states possessing weapons of mass destruction.
I want to share a little bit of data with my colleagues, Mr. Speaker.
The total amount of TNT that was exploded
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at the Nevada nuclear test site was about 1.1 megatons. Now, the amount
of TNT that we exploded in the Marshall Islands was 93 megatons. If I
could give another example, Mr. Speaker, the hydrogen bomb that was
dropped in the Marshall Islands in 1954 was 15 megatons, which is about
1,000 times more powerful than the two bombs that we exploded at
Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan, in World War II.
Mr. Speaker, the actions of the United States Government have caused
the people of the Republic of the Marshall Islands immense harm, which
continues to this day. With some 67 underwater surface and atmospheric
tests of atomic and thermonuclear weapons tested in the Marshalls we
have rendered uninhabitable, due to nuclear radiation, much of these
people's homelands. We have disrupted their lives by removing them from
their homelands and in some cases they have yet to return out of fear
of radiation contamination should they return.
On top of that, numerous Marshallese have suffered from cancers,
leukemia and other life-threatening diseases directly connected to
nuclear radiation poisoning.
Mr. Speaker, because of the recent declassification by the Department
of Energy of previously classified documents, we now know that our
government has not always been candid and forthright with the people of
the Marshall Islands. Because of what some would consider callous
disregard and perhaps duplicity for the well-being of the residents of
the Marshall Islands, they no longer trust our government to do the
right thing.
After a preliminary review of the facts, Mr. Speaker, I submit I can
understand why our Marshallese friends feel this way.
Mr. Speaker, I regret to report that this whole process has taken too
long and has been woefully underfunded. In this time of expected U.S.
budget surpluses from which the House of Representatives last week ad
hoc allocated some $12.9 billion for Kosovo and defense concerns, Mr.
Speaker, we really have no excuse for not addressing completely these
serious problems which our great Nation has caused for the good people
of the Marshall Islands.
Mr. Speaker, I would urge our colleagues to support full and timely
compensation for the nuclear-related injuries sustained by the
Marshallese people when this matter comes before us. This is the very
least we can do in recognition and repayment of the sacrifices made by
the people of the Marshall Islands that have ensured that the United
States remains strong, remains free and remains protected.
Mr. Speaker, I include the following for the Record:
U.S. NUCLEAR TESTS IN THE MARSHALL ISLANDS
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Test No. Date Site Type Yield (kt.) Operation Test
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1 6/30/46 Bikini................... Airdrop.................. 21.00 CROSSROADS............... ABLE
2 7/24/46 Bikini................... Undrwtr.................. 21.00 CROSSROADS............... BAKER
3 4/14/48 Enewetak................. Tower.................... 37.00 SANDSTONE................ XRAY
4 4/30/48 Enewetak................. Tower.................... 49.00 SANDSTONE................ YOKE
5 5/14/48 Enewetak................. Tower.................... 18.00 SANDSTONE................ ZEBRA
6 4/7/51 Enewetak................. Tower.................... 81.00 GREENHOUSE............... DOG
7 4/20/51 Enewetak................. Tower.................... 47.00 GREENHOUSE............... EASY
8 5/8/51 Enewetak................. Tower.................... 225.00 GREENHOUSE............... GEORGE
9 5/24/51 Enewetak................. Tower.................... 45.50 GREENHOUSE............... ITEM
10 10/31/52 Enewetak................. Surface.................. 10,400.00 IVY...................... MIKE
11 11/15/52 Enewetak................. Air Drop................. 500.00 IVY...................... KING
12 2/28/54 Bikini................... Surface.................. 15,000.00 CASTLE................... BRAVO
13 3/26/54 Bikini................... Barge.................... 11,000.00 CASTLE................... ROMEO
14 4/6/54 Bikini................... Surface.................. 110.00 CASTLE................... KOON
15 4/25/54 Bikini................... Barge.................... 6,900.00 CASTLE................... UNION
16 5/4/54 Bikini................... Barge.................... 13,500.00 CASTLE................... YANKEE
17 5/13/54 Enewetak................. Barge.................... 1,690.00 CASTLE................... NECTAR
18 5/2/56 Bikini................... Air Drop................. 3,800.00 REDWING.................. CHEROKE
19 5/4/56 Enewetak................. Surface.................. 40.00 REDWING.................. LACROSSE
20 5/27/56 Bikini................... Surface.................. 3,500.00 REDWING.................. ZUNI
21 5/27/56 Enewetak................. Tower.................... 0.19 REDWING.................. YUMA
22 5/30/56 Enewetak................. Tower.................... 14.90 REDWING.................. ERIE
23 6/6/56 Enewetak................. Surface.................. 13.70 REDWING.................. SEMINOLE
24 6/11/56 Bikini................... Barge.................... 365.00 REDWING.................. FLATHEAD
25 6/11/56 Enewetak................. Tower.................... 8.00 REDWING.................. BLACKFOOT
26 6/13/56 Enewetak................. Tower.................... 1.49 REDWING.................. KICKPOO
27 6/16/56 Enewetak................. Air Drop................. 1.70 REDWING.................. OSAGE
28 6/21/56 Enewetak................. Tower.................... 15.20 REDWING.................. INCA
29 6/25/56 Bikini................... Barge.................... 1,100.00 REDWING.................. DAKOTA
30 7/2/56 Enewetak................. Tower.................... 360.00 REDWING.................. MOHAWK
31 7/8/56 Enewetak................. Barge.................... 1,850.00 REDWING.................. APACHE
32 7/10/56 Bikini................... Barge.................... 4,500.00 REDWING.................. NAVAJO
33 7/20/56 Bikini................... Barge.................... 5,000.00 REDWING.................. TEWA
34 7/21/56 Enewetak................. Barge.................... 250.00 REDWING.................. HURON
35 4/28/58 Nr Enewetak.............. Balloon.................. 1.70 HARDTACK I............... YUCCA
36 5/5/58 Enewetak................. Surface.................. 18.00 HARDTACK I............... CACTUS
37 5/11/58 Bikini................... Barge.................... 1,360.00 HARDTACK I............... FIR
38 5/11/58 Enewetak................. Barge.................... 81.00 HARDTACK I............... BUTTERNUT
39 5/12/58 Enewetak................. Surface.................. 1,370.00 HARDTACK I............... KOA
40 5/16/58 Enewetak................. Undrwtr.................. 9.00 HARDTACK I............... WAHOO
41 5/20/58 Enewetak................. Barge.................... 5.90 HARDTACK I............... HOLLY
42 5/21/58 Bikini................... Barge.................... 25.10 HARDTACK I............... NUTMEG
43 5/26/58 Enewetak................. Barge.................... 330.00 HARDTACK I............... YELLOWWD
44 5/26/58 Enewetak................. Barge.................... 57.00 HARDTACK I............... MAGNOLIA
45 5/30/58 Enewetak................. Barge.................... 11.60 HARDTACK I............... TOBACCO
46 5/31/58 Bikini................... Barge.................... 92.00 HARDTACK I............... SYCAMORE
47 6/2/58 Enewetak................. Barge.................... 15.00 HARDTACK I............... ROSE
48 6/8/58 Enewetak................. Undrwtr.................. 8.00 HARDTACK I............... UMBRELLA
49 6/10/58 Bikini................... Barge.................... 213.00 HARDTACK I............... MAPLE
50 6/14/58 Bikini................... Barge.................... 319.00 HARDTACK I............... ASPEN
51 6/14/58 Enewetak................. Barge.................... 1,450.00 HARDTACK I............... WALNUT
52 6/18/58 Enewetak................. Barge.................... 11.00 HARDTACK I............... LINDEN
53 6/27/58 Bikini................... Barge.................... 412.00 HARDTACK I............... REDWOOD
54 6/27/58 Enewetak................. Barge.................... 880.00 HARDTACK I............... ELDER
55 6/28/58 Enewetak................. Barge.................... 8,900.00 HARDTACK I............... OAK
56 6/29/58 Bikini................... Barge.................... 14.00 HARDTACK I............... HICKORY
57 7/1/58 Enewetak................. Barge.................... 5.20 HARDTACK I............... SEQUOIA
58 7/2/58 Bikini................... Barge.................... 220.000 HARDTACK I............... CEDAR
59 7/5/58 Enewetak................. Barge.................... 397.00 HARDTACK I............... DOGWOOD
60 7/12/58 Bikini................... Barge.................... 9,300.00 HARDTACK I............... POPLAR
61 7/14/58 Enewetak................. Barge.................... LOW HARDTACK I............... SCAEVOLA
62 7/1/58 Enewetak................. Barge.................... 255.00 HARDTACK I............... PISONIA
63 7/22/58 Bikini................... Barge.................... 65.00 HARDTACK I............... JUNIPER
64 7/22/58 Enewetak................. Barge.................... 202.00 HARDTACK I............... OLIVE
65 7/26/58 Enewetak................. Barge.................... 2,000.00 HARDTACK I............... PINE
66 8/6/58 Enewetak................. Surface.................. FIZZ HARDTACK I............... QUINCE
67 8/18/58 Enewetak................. Surface.................. 0.02 HARDTACK I............... FIG
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Sources: U.S. Department of Energy, United States Nuclear Tests: July 1945 through September 1992. Document No. DOE/NV-209 (Rev. 14), December 1994. RMI
Nuclear Claims Tribunal. Annual Report to the Nitijela For the Calendar Year 1996. Majuro: 1997.
[[Page H3065]]
TABLE I.--CUMULATIVE DOSES BY EVENT AND LOCATION
(Finite Dose to Next Event)--mr
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EVENT BRAVO ROMEO KOON UNION YANKEE NECTAR TOTAL
Days between events 26 11 19 9 9 10
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AERIAL MONITORING
Lae.......................... 5.5 12 12 7.5 78 95 125
Ujae......................... 6 32 17 9.5 48 1.4 114
Wotho........................ 250 270 110 55 95 4 784
Ailinginae................... \1\ 60,000 3,400 3,300 8 600 70 67,000
Rongelap..................... \1\ 180,000 11,000 6,000 3,400 1,700 300 202,000
Rongerik..................... \1\ 190,000 9,000 5,000 550 1,400 280 206,000
Taongi....................... 280 60 9.5 10 10 ................ 370
Bikar........................ \1\ 60,000 3,000 1,200 650 1,700 150 67,000
Utirik....................... \1\ 22,000 1,200 700 100 330 50 24,000
Taka......................... \1\ 15,000 800 1,000 120 380 50 17,000
Ailuk........................ 5,000 410 110 100 500 20 6,140
Jemo......................... 1,200 410 130 18 200 20 1,978
Likiep....................... 1,700 170 80 30 200 16 2,196
Namu......................... 1.8 90 100 0 25 0 216
Ailinglapalap................ 7.2 140 100 8 0 0 255
Namorik...................... 20 160 70 2 0 0 252
Ebon......................... 20 250 50 8 25 0 353
Kili......................... 20 200 70 0 0 1.3 291
Jaluit....................... 20 300 70 8 0 2.6 401
Mili......................... 60 160 200 20 0 1.3 441
Arno......................... 60 200 300 8 25 1.3 594
Majuro....................... 200 200 50 20 0 1.3 471
Aur.......................... 40 200 50 8 40 2.6 341
Maledlap..................... 350 120 50 0 25 4.0 549
Erilaib...................... 390 200 50 0 0 6.5 647
Wotje........................ 1,800 300 200 13 220 10 2,543
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\1\ Based on arrival estimated from Rongerik data.