TRUST TERRITORY DEFICIT

Mr. MURTHA. What about the trust territory deficit?

Mr. HAYWARD. Congress appropriated $8 million towards the trust territory deficit in Fiscal Year 1988. We believe that money is sufficient to carry us through fiscal year 1989. Past that, we believe that the trust territory deficit would be somewhere in the vicinity of $8 million.

Mr. MURTHA. So, after 1989, there is another $8 million?

Mr. HAYWARD. Yes, sir.

Mr. MURTHA. Have you requested funds to take care of that? Mr. HAYWARD. We are in our 1990 budget preparation, and that will be part of our submission.

Mr. MURTHA. What will be the impact if there are no funds in 1989?

Mr. HAYWARD. We'll get through fiscal year 1989, Mr. Chairman. We should have a sufficient amount of funds. We believe that there is a cushion somewhere in the vicinity of $6 million.

MICRONESIAN WAR CLAIMS

Mr. MURTHA. There is also no request for Micronesian war claims for which $12,350,000 was provided in 1988 by Congress. The balance remaining to be paid is $12 million. Why haven't you requested these funds?

Mr. HAYWARD. Mr. Chairman, in looking at all the priorities, although it would be nice to fund all of the projects that are requested, it is unfortunate that we cannot do so. And in this particular fiscal year we could not fund that particular project.

Mr. MURTHA. What is the status of the 1988 funds? Do you still plan to make the payment in the fourth quarter?

Mr. HAYWARD. We are moving forward very aggressively right now on the development of the list. There are approximately 14,000 claimants, and we are moving forward to be able to pay by the first of July, Mr. Chairman.

BIKINI ATOLL REHABILITATION

Mr. MURTHA. No funds are requested for the Bikini Atoll Rehabilitation Committee which is due to submit its final report this July. What plans have you made to respond once the BARC report is submitted?

Mr. HAYWARD. Well, first of all, Mr. Chairman, I believe that there are three conditions that are outlined that need to be met: the completion of the BARC report; secondly would be the acceptance of that report by the Bikinians; and the third portion would be the development of a resettlement plan. And those conditions have not been met to date.

Mr. MURTHA. What plans have you made to take action once the report is submitted?

Mr. HAYWARD. I would also like to add, Mr. Chairman, that the Secretary has asked me to work on that particular matter for the fiscal year 1990 budget as concerns the Bikinians.

Mr. MURTHA. So, when the report comes in, what happens?