UPDATE: March 22, H.CON.RES. 364 RFS - Received in the Senate and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.
Marshall Islands "Unimaginable Sacrifice" and Friendship Recognized by US Congress

"Marshallese lived through it, and they are still living through it, and will live through it for generations to come."
Today, the US House voted with 408 yeah and 0 nay to recognize the sacrifice paid by the Marshallese during US nuclear testing in the Marshall Islands.

Yesterday afternoon, a delegation from Bikini Atoll, sitting in the US House of Representatives Gallery, was recognized from the floor by Chairman of the House Resources Committee, Richard Pombo, during discussion of House Concurrent Resolution 364.

"I was fortunate to have recently been able to travel to the Marshall Islands with Department of Interior Secretary Gale Norton, as well as other members of the House Committee on Resources. The openness and kindness with which we were received will not be forgotten, as we were able to talk to some of the survivors of these nuclear tests and comprehend better the level of understanding that remains between the Marshallese and our government to this day. In fact, two Bikini citizens are here with us today to see this legislation move to the House floor: the Mayor of Bikini, Mr. Eldon Note, and Senator Juda from Bikini as well," said Pombo. Representative Pombo was the sponsor of the Resolution along with 14 co-sponsors, many of whom entered their concerns for the islands for the record during House sessions of March 17 and 18.

The Resolution points to the "significance of the nuclear weapons test that was code-named Bravo and its role in the half-century relationship that still exists between our countries. " On March 1, 1954, the United States tested BRAVO, the largest nuclear weapon ever detonated by our country, at Bikini Atoll, and its explosive power was nearly 1,000 times greater than the weapon used in 1945 on Hiroshima, Japan.

"This event and the success that came from our nuclear testing program will forever link the United States in history with the Marshall Islands," stated Pombo.

Marshallese continue to show their support with Marshall Islands' citizens serving in the U.S. Armed Forces. "Our common pursuit of peace through working closely together through political, diplomatic, and strategic ties continues to this day,' he said.

"This bond should not be understated," said Rep. Pombo as he encouraged a strong bipartisan support of this concurrent resolution by his colleagues.

Representative from Florida, Katherine Harris, said of the 67 nuclear tests, "Those massive detonations, which represented significant sacrifices by the Marshallese people, were critical to the credibility and reliability of our nuclear deterrent during the Cold War."

Congressman Ed Case of Hawaii spoke of the permanent effect to the island environment. "This is a resolution of remembrance, of the dire consequences to a whole people and their aina, or land."

Rep. Case told of his own recollection of the event "as a boy of just six, sitting on my grandparents' porch on the Island of Kauai, on a dark night, watching the entire sky light up from a single explosion 2,300 miles away."

"But the Marshallese lived through it, and they are still living through it, and will live through it for generations to come."

Ranking Democrat of the Resources Committee, Rep. Nick Rahall (WV) said that "the people of the Marshall Islands made a sacrifice that is unimaginable for us Americans."

"We may never fully understand the personal hardships our nuclear testing program caused to the people of the Marshall Islands, and more specifically those directly affected communities from the atolls of Bikini, Enewetak, Rongelap, and Utrok," he said.

Delegate Madeleine Bordallo from Guam also mentioned her recent visit to the Marshall Islands.

"While in Majuro, we met with President Kessai Note and elected officials from other islands, as well as with the Nuclear Claims Tribunal. This visit was important given the recent renewal of the compact, the anniversary of the Bravo blast, and the security issues facing our world today," she said

"The people of the Marshall Islands have made tremendous sacrifices and contributions on behalf of the United States in the pursuit of peace and freedom around the world. Today, the Marshall Islands are among the United States' greatest friends and most reliable allies."

Delegate from America Samoa, Eni Faleomavaega, told more about the events being commemorated by this resolution.

While U.S. servicemen on Rongerik Atoll were evacuated within hours of the blast, Marshallese residents of Utirik and Rongelap were left behind for at least a day, resulting in their exposure to significant radiation. At the time of their removal, the people of these atolls were already suffering burns and loss of hair.

Also returned prematurely to their atolls, the people of Rongelap and Utirik received additional exposure causing many to believe that they were used to study the effects of radiation on human beings. Recently declassified information contains strong indications that human experimentation using the people of the exposed atolls was indeed part of the nuclear testing program in the Marshall Islands.

Congressman Faleomavaega said that these tests exposed the people of the Marshalls to severe health problems and genetic anomalies for generations to come.

"Yet the United States has not made good on its promise to compensate citizens of the Marshall Islands for loss or damage to property and person resulting from the nuclear testing program."

Compiled by Aenet Rowa, Yokwe Online, March 18, 2004

Photo courtesy of Jack Niedenthal.

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READ:

HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 364 as read during House floor proceedings on March 17, 2004.