Political Quotes

“H.R. 2368, the Bikini Resettlement and Relocation Act of 1999 is an important measure to help the relocation and resettlement of the people of the Bikini Atoll. This community was displaced during the time of United States nuclear testing in the Pacific, and while the U.S. was the administering authority for the islands under the United Nations' Trust Territory of the Pacific islands. In the 1982, Congress established a Resettlement Trust Fund for the benefit of the Bikinians. H.R. 2368 would authorize a one-time 3 percent distribution from the Resettlement Trust Fund for relocation and resettlement assistance primarily for the remaining senior citizens of the Bikini Atoll, 3 percent of $126 million, or $3.7 million. This will not require any appropriation of any funds by the U.S. Congress, and will not diminish the original corpus of the Resettlement Trust Fund of $110 million. These funds will provide relocation assistance now to the surviving 90 members of Bikini who were removed from their home island, as it may still take years to complete radiological restoration of the atoll to permit safe habitation. The bill also responds to the resolution of the Bikini Council requesting this legislative action by Congress. I urge my colleagues to support this bipartisan measure.”