II

105TH CONGRESS

1ST SESSION S. 1524

To require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to conduct an

ongoing study of the health consequences of nuclear weapons tests.

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

NOVEMBER 12, 1997

Mr. HARKIN introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred

to the Committee on Labor and Human Resources

A BILL

To require the Secretary of Health and Human Services

to conduct an ongoing study of the health consequences

of nuclear weapons tests.

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

3 SECTION 1. ONGOING STUDY ON HEALTH CONSEQUENCES

4 OF NUCLEAR WEAPONS TESTS.

5 (a) REQUIREMENT.—

6 (1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Health and

7 Human Services shall conduct an ongoing study of

8 the health consequences of nuclear weapons tests.

9 (2) COVERED TESTS.—In conducting the study,

10 the Secretary shall, to the maximum extent prac-
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1 ticable, consider nuclear weapons tests (including

2 above ground tests and below ground tests) by the

3 United States, France, Great Britain, India, the

4 People’s Republic of China, the Soviet Union and its

5 successor states, and any other foreign nation that

6 has conducted nuclear weapons tests.

7 (3) PARTICULAR EXPOSURES.—In conducting

8 the study, the Secretary shall consider, in particular,

9 the following:

10 (A) The health consequences of exposure

11 to plutonium, strontium-90, iodine-131, radio12 active cesium, and any other radioactive ele13 ment produced by a nuclear weapon test.

14 (B) The health consequences of exposure

15 to such elements for high-risk populations and

16 for the general population.

17 (4) REVIEW.—The Secretary shall provide on

18 an ongoing basis for guidance and review of the con19 duct of the study, and review of the results of the

20 study, by the Advisory Committee on Energy-Relat21 ed Epidemiologic Research of the Department of

22 Health and Human Services and by such other enti23 ties engaged in the review of governmental studies

24 relating to nuclear weapons activities as the Sec25 retary considers appropriate.
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1 (b) REPORTS.—

2 (1) PRELIMINARY PLAN.—Not later than 90

3 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the

4 Secretary shall submit to Congress a report setting

5 forth the Secretary’s plan for the conduct of the

6 study under this section. The report shall set forth

7 an estimate of the annual costs of the study.

8 (2) ANNUAL REPORTS.—Not later than one

9 year after the date of the submittal of the report

10 under paragraph (1), and annually thereafter, the

11 Secretary shall submit to Congress a report on the

12 results of the study during the one-year period pre13 ceding the date of the report.

14 (c) FUNDING.—The Secretary of Energy shall trans15 fer to the Secretary of Health and Human Services each

16 fiscal year, from amounts appropriated for the Depart17 ment of Energy for such fiscal year for weapons activities,

18 such amounts as the Secretary of Energy and the Sec19 retary of Health and Human Services jointly determine

20 appropriate to permit the Secretary of Health and Human

21 Services to conduct activities relating to the study under

22 this section during such fiscal year.

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