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Show Letters to the editor of the earlier atmospheric tests should be eligible. However, it must not be turned into an open-ended, anyone-may-apply kind of law or else its passage would be economically prohibitive, and those most needing and deserving of compensation would be unable to get it. . I hope this brief report on what I consider to be one of the most important pieces of legislation before Congress is useful to you. Between now and the time we get this bill enacted into law, I will continue to seek your suggestions or comments on anything having to do with this urgent subject. Meanwhile, I will continue to do everything I can to resolve these tragic circumstances in an appropriate manner. Orrin G. Hatch Radiation report Editor: On Oct. 27, I chaired a Senate Labor and Human Resources Committee hearing on S. 1483, "The Radiation Compensation Act of 1981." I introduced this legislation in order to compensate cancer victims living downwind of the atmospheric nuclear tests conducted between 1951 and 1963 and whose disease is linked to exposure from nuclear fallout. Legislatively speaking, we are in the home stretch. Earlyln 1982, 1 will hold a final, conclusive hearing on this bill. Before the spring is out, I am hopeful that the full United States Senate will vote on S. 1483, paving its way for quick approval in the House. When President Reagan finally signs this legislation into law, the many Utahns and their families who have been innocently victimized by past years' ignorance about radiation exposure will finally see justice rendered. Needless to say, no amount of federal apologies for abuses committed in bygone years and no compensation award no matter how large, can ever adequately offset the pain afflicting surviving families. However, the enactment of this legislation to compensate the Utahns, Nevadans and Arizonians believed to have contracted malignant and lethal diseases because of the atomic blasts' fallout will reaffirm several very important principles. It will establish once again that, in a contest between the federal government and the people, the benefit of the doubt rests with the people. It will assure that those seeking redress from their government even though it involved actions committed decades ago, can do so without unnecessary restrictions because of the streamlined manner in which my bill's compensation provisions work. It also signifies that the people downwind of the Nevada test site have suffered enough and that every precaution should be taken that this kind of thing never happen again. Based on the number of claims which have already been filed in federal and state courts, it is estimated that anywhere from one to several thousand people would be eligible for compensation under my legislation. However, there are those who would enlarge this circle of eligible people to as high as twenty to thirty thousand people. Naturally, how large an "eligibility pool" is finally established will have a dramatic bearing on how successful we are in seeing The Radiation Compensation Act of 1981 become law. This bill must be fair, and those who suffer from cancer because Record praised Editor: Belated congratulations on the special issue of the Iron County Record, Nov. 5. I would like to see at least one page devoted to the past in your future issues. I am sure there are several old . letters, diaries, pictures, etc. hidden away in old trunks that need to be shared with the rest of us. The news items in this issue that you had gleaned from old issues were priceless. We all need to look behind us once in awhile to appreciate how far we have advanced, and everyone needs to leave Iron County once in a while to appreciate what was there all the time. There "ain't . nothin' " like the . old home town. It is a great place with several thousand good people and a few old sore heads and gossipers. Another great thing about thjsi special Edition, I didn't find one obituary. That in itself, was newsworthy. As I look at my paper each week and read of marriages, births, etc. I realize it won't be long until I am going to be one of the "old timers" we all talk about. The "old timers" I knew as a child are just not there ny more and I suppose that is why this 'special edition meant so much. It was kind of like shaking the family tree. Some of our family is more like the old Potato vine, the best is underground, and I am very proud of my heritage. , Again, Congratulations! Mrs. Gene Cash 1 |