Speech #830254929

Mr. Speaker. those of us who have followed closely the administration of the Refugee Relief Act of 1953 were astonished to read the statement of the gentleman from New York in which he alleged that the immigration of refugees is being hindered and hampered and that the refugee relief program is foredoomed to failure. If the gentleman from New York had ever read the Refugee Relief Act. which came out of his committee. he would realize how vastly different it is from the former Displaced Persons Act. The present act was adopted on an entirely different premise. to meet an entirely different situation. and its provisions are much more stringent than were those of the DP Act. Nevertheless. despite the difficulties of administering an act which involves the cooperation of half a dozen departments of the Government. tight security regulations. and the necessity for negotiating and carrying out working agreements with about two dozen foreign governments. the results achieved to date under the Refugee Relief Act have most certainly amounted to a great deal more than a trickle. as the distinguished gentleman from New York has elected to characterize them. Obviously. some time was required to get a program as big and as widespread as this rolling. Regulations and administrative procedures had to be developednot unilaterally by the State Department alone. -but in cooperation with numerous other participating agencies.