Speech #840197892

So that our proposal calls for a much more adequately financed program than does that of my colleague. Secondly. it should be noticed that the proposal of my colleague merely states that the money is to be spent at the discretion of the President. I have discussed the fact that Congress. on a previous occasion. by the adoption of the socalled Kersten amendment some time back. provided funds of $100 million. to be spent at the discretion of the President. for some of these purposes. although they might be regarded as being limited merely to integrating refugees from behind the Iron Curtain countries into the Armed Forces of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. I have been trying to get the facts on how much has been spent under the Kersten program. The committee report seems to indicate. on page 50. that not more than $12 million of the $100 million appropriated last year has been spent. and I have heard reports that appreciably less than that has been spent.