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attempts to identify and gather recorda on radiation experiments: White House Memo from Christfns A. Varney, dtd January 19, Mom0 From former Secretary of Defenme Les Aepin, dtd Q l Jan Advisory Committee Staff Memo "Initial Report on the Department of Defense Document Search*a,dtd June 7, 1994 GenerallY, GAO is intereatad in ( a ) t h e planning, coordinating, and data-gathering activities that occurred after the Lee Aspin and ATSD(AE) nema, (b) the iniotmation presented to t h e AdVi6Ory ConuuLttee Staff, I C ) DOD activities that have occurred since your preeentation o € data to the Adviaary Committee Staff, and (d) B:Much of thm following requeatod documentation aeems to hava been preaentad to t h e Advisory Committee Staff in Borne form, baeed on dl reading of the Adviaory Staff Memo. If thla la true, it may be advantageouu to obtain wh6t W a l l provided to the Committee as quickly 81 possible and procred to other data that waa net provided to the Commlttee. Agency action plan and procedures for (a) identifying, locating, inventorying, and retrlevinq all pertinent records of radiation cxperimente, intentional releaeeo involving human subjecta and other specific axperimenta identified in the ATSD(AE) memo, ( b ) diecloring the information to the aubjacta o f the experiment# and the public. Agency procedures for retrieving records from current and former non-government grantees and contxactors. Personnel involved in developing the plan, directing and performing records search activities, and reviewing records.
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members of the Working Group chaired by the ATSD (AE) which waa charged with structuring the proceslr for data collection and analysis and the development of an overall plan of action (See memo dtd 07 Jan 94, 2nd paregraph from hou mdny personnel at each agency headquartera and field location, including Radiation Experiments Command Center type of personnel and qudlifieatianr (for example: historian, archivirrt, recorda managanrent, oleriaal, developing plan, directing the recorda search, performing recoxds search activities, reviewing records on radiation number o f hours per week each pereon devotes to thiB whethsr personnel are federal emgloyeea or contractors 4. Number of sitea/locetions involved in recorda search. Please 5. Statiitice on records end experimenta. sstimato of total nwnber o f recorda and total number of eutimate of number of records and experiment0 found t o date estimate of percentage of reaords and experirnants agency officiate think they w i l l be able to retrieve fCoat to agency to date Eetimate on final cotst to agency * Source of funding for agancy effort agancy ha6 gone through to: * ensure the quality? intagrity, and completeness of the records Bearch activities * enaure reaord searcher6 comply with procedureu provide noceeeary reaourcm to eccornplieh plan f provide f o r feedback to monitor progrese and problems (e.g., mem06, site visite, trig reports, progress reports) 7. Documentation of a l l step6, ~rocedures,and actionii that
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8 . Diffiaulties in implementing the agency recorda aeerch plan-- according to agency officials, field ot fie ~ ~ .and mites. 9. Type6 of information agency la gathering on human aubjectn o f health etat us before and after enperiment age at time of experiment whether informed eonaent wa5 obtained cause of deeth and apa of death of eubject 10. Plans and procedures rcr identifying and locating human subjeota of radiation experiments. For example: who will make contacts? * how will it be done (e.g.,irl permon, by phone, in writing) * what typos of information will be provided to eubjeete? 11. Statua of agency etforte to ldontiiy and noflfy human eubjoots of radiation experiments. Include: * how many eubjects have been notified to date? eetiMtC of number of subjects agency offlalala think they will be able to identify and notify what are the reactions of the eubjects? 12. Documentatlon of agreemsnte and correspondence between agency and Advisory Committee on Human Radiation Experimente. 13. Documentation of agency offorte to declareify claieifiad data.
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The answers to eome of theee questions also aeem to be Contained in thm metatials provided to the Advisory Committee Staff. Is W D etill using the definition of radiation experiment contained inthe ATSD(AE) mamo of Jan. 31, 19947 In retrospect, w h a t were the shortcomings of the actlon plan. Wae tho original plan modified after implementation? If no, Ha0 the guidance the White Houae, the Interagency Group, and the Advieory Committee been clear, helpful, and timely In supporting the agency'a zecord# search activltles prior to the, initial prssentation of data to the Advisory Committee? (7) How muck intexchange hem occurred between DODIE search group and the Advlsory Committee, What additional directions has DOD received €ram the Advisory Committee and how might these directions impact on the agency's current rauiation events What format did DOD ure to provide data to the Advisory format? When did DOD Btart providing data to tho Adviaory Can you plea88 update ua on t h e status of your sffort. do you expect to complete your work? (10) How many records were found initially? HOW many experiments? What is your emtimate for the total number of oxperfmente and do you expect to be able to retrieve all of them? what percent do you expect t o retrieve? (llc) Is DOD having any diffiaultiee retrieving reuorde from nongoverment organizations that pcrfotmed the work under granta and contracts that have axpixad? (6) Do ex-non-government Contractors insirat on being paid to now search their archives for pertinent records and doea * How w i l l DOD be able to ensure the quality and integrity of the search activftiee performed by non-govmrmmnt entities such a# hoepitale, univarsltiee, private contractora, etc? the quality of the se8rCh (e,p., put this proviaion into Did the Advisory Committee request a apecific If DOD pay8 for theme aerrchea will it insist on checking
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9. 18 DOD using the Help t i n e ? I f so, how ia it being ured to aid the rrcorda m a r c h activities? Can you provide exampiapl of how DOD is using information from the Help u n a ? calla has DOD received? (9) sub ects? How many subject8 have been identified, how many Doe6 DOD have concerns about contacting the eubjocts and revealing detailm of experimenta. Fer example, the information given ta the subject might be the bamie for 10. What ia the etatur of DOD's effortr to identify and n o t i f y Has DOD consulteU with lte general counsel on the matter of contacting subject#? If 80, what are the aautiona from the general counsel on t h e matter? Has the general counasl provided a script to iollow i n
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IN5 PECTOR GEN LRAL 400 ARMY NAVY DRIVE FRX : Office of GAO Surveys and Reviews TOTAL PAGES (Including this page) 3 TASKING MEMO DATED ?!-''?y