International Fisheries Reauthorization Act of 2003

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 2048) to extend the period for reimbursement under the Fishermen's Protective Act of 1967, and to reauthorize the Yukon River Restoration and Enhancement Fund, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, H.R. 2048 reauthorizes two important laws dealing with international fisheries: the Fishermen's Protective Act and the Yukon River Salmon Act.

At the hearing the Fisheries Conservation, Wildlife and Oceans Subcommittee held on May 22, 2003, we heard from the Departments of State, Interior, and Commerce on the significance of these two laws. Without going into any of the details about the successes of these two laws, let me state that reauthorizing these laws will provide Federal assistance to important conservation work being done on the shared salmon stocks of the Yukon River. Without a new agreement on the shared Yukon River stocks, we are not able to work together with Canada on research, restoration, and management of these unique salmon stocks.

In addition, this legislation will continue an important self-funded insurance program for U.S. fishermen who fish outside of U.S. waters as well as maintain a critical provision in the Fishermen's Protective Act that allows the United States to take action against nations that are not in compliance with international fishery conservation and management agreements.

At a time when there has been much media attention on the status of our marine fisheries and in particular those large, highly-migratory species, the Pelly Amendment allows the United States to hold our trading partners accountable if they are not in compliance with internationally-agreed-upon management regimes.

This legislation is a critical component to continuing the process we are making on sustainable international fishery agreements, and I urge Members to support this important legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 2048.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of time.

Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

(Mrs. CHRISTENSEN asked and was given permission to revise and extend her remarks.)

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.

Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

(Mr. PALLONE asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the bill.

Effective international fisheries agreements are critical for both economic and ecological reasons. Improper or unfair management of international fisheries costs our constituents millions of dollars in lost revenue each year. And our oceans are a global resource: fish and habitats on which they depend do not respect national boundaries. This bill, H.R. 2048, would reauthorize two important fisheries laws: the Fishermen's Protective Act and the Yukon River Salmon Act.

Congress has both a right and a duty to protect our fishermen's interests in the global resources market. It remains vital that our fishermen are able to work harmoniously with fishermen from neighboring countries, and reauthorization of these acts will ensure future cooperation.

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Gilchrest), chairman of the Subcommittee on Fisheries Conservation, Wildlife and Oceans, for introducing this legislation and in expediting its consideration by the committee. And I also want to commend the gentleman from California (Mr. Pombo), chairman of the Committee on Resources, and his staff for their cooperation in working with Democratic Members to clear this noncontroversial legislation for the floor. I urge the House to adopt the bill.

Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, I yield back the balance of my time.