TO MY knowledge, there has been no suppression of information on fallout. One particular Department of Defense report, dealing with this subject, a summary of which was furnished to the Joint Committee on Atomic Energy on February 19, was originally classified because it dealt with certain operational techniques affecting the national security. At the Committee's request, those portions of the summary report containing the tentative conclusions derived from this operation to date, were declassified.
It was pointed out to the Committee that the data were subject to different interpretations by different technical experts. Therefore the Department of Defense had indicated that in view of the preliminary nature of the information, in its judgment it should not be publicly released until it has been more thoroughly evaluated. The recent release of the differing interpretation of these data by the Department of Defense and the Atomic Energy Commission does not represent fundamental disagreements but rather emphasizes the preliminary nature of these findings.
Every effort is being made by this Government to develop the facts about fallout and to disclose these facts fully to the public. The Atomic Energy Commission is spending about $18,000,000 a year on research on problems associated with radiation standards and protection. In addition, there are other substantial expenditures for sampling and analysis for national and worldwide fallout studies. As Chairman McCone pointed out in his testimony yesterday, in Fiscal Year '60 the figures for radiation standards and protection will be increased to $20,000,000.
The National Academy of Sciences has asked its committees on the biological effects of radiation hazards to consider and appraise the present state of scientific knowledge in this field, the degree of potential hazard from such radiation, and to recommend further research that should be undertaken. This means that the excellent comprehensive study made under the auspices of the Academy nearly three years ago will now be brought up to date by competent scientists.
Everyone in Government who has a responsibility with respect to this matter feels it of the greatest importance that we be diligent in our study of this problem.
Note: On March 22 the Chairman of the Joint Committee on Atomic Energy made public declassified portions of letters from the Department of Defense and the Atomic Energy Commission, dated February 19 and March 21 respectively, relating to fallout. This is the recent release referred to by the President.
On April 3 a White House release stated that in view of the attention focused on radiological health matters the President had directed that a report should be made on the status of plans of the executive branch. Referring to comments by the Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare at his March 16 press conference, and to the Atomic Energy Commission Chairman's March 24 testimony before the Joint Committee, as to the need for a review of the organizational problems involved, the April 3 release stated that, at the President's request, a joint study of Federal organization of radiological health activities was well under way.
This study resulted in recommendations leading to a Presidential order establishing the Federal Radiation Council (Executive Order 10831, August 14, 1959, 24 F.R. 6669).
The White House release of August 14, announcing the establishment of the Council, noted that the President had approved a series of recommendations to be carried out upon enactment of proposed legislation under which certain regulatory responsibilities of the Atomic Energy Commission would be transferred to the States by agreement with the Commission. Public Law 86-373 (71 Stat. 688), approved September 23, 1959, amended the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 with respect to cooperation with the States and provided for the reestablishment of the Federal Radiation Council with increased membership and broadened functions.
On August 22, the White House announced at Gettysburg, Pa., that the President had appointed the Secretary of the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare as Chairman of the Council.
Dwight D. Eisenhower, Statement by the President Concerning Disclosure of Information on Fallout. Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/node/235358