Mr. Speaker. it will be recalled that when on March 25. 1954. the House was considering the deficiency appropriations bill. the denial of an item of $1.560.000 of deficiency appropriations came up for the administration of the Refugee Relief Act of 1953. It appeared from testimony before the Subcommittee on Foreign Aid. General and Temporary Activity Appropriations of the Appropriations Committee that less than 50 visas had been issued since the law was enacted on August 7. 1953. that not over six aliens had actually been admitted under the act up to the date of the subcommittee hearing March 17. 1954. and that the cost of the program then was at the rate of over $100.000 per alien admitted. I stated at that time that the matter could well be "verging up into a national scandal" in view of the fact that the bill provided for the admission of 209.000 aliens from abroad under the act on nonquota visas over a period of 3 years and that so very few had been admitted despite the $3 million of appropriations already made. I informed the House at that time that I am for this legislation as a wise and considered element of the policy of the United States and that I will undertake to look into the situation and report to my colleagues whether the intent and desire of Congress was being followed in the administration of this legislation. Since that date I have carefully examined the reports and other papers relating to the administration of the actthe first semiannual report of the Administrator was filed as of January 15. 1954and have also had talks with the Administrator of the Act. the Hon.
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Refugee visas