Mr. President. the recent White House Conference on Refugees focused nationwide attention on the refugee problem. As one who has been very much concerned over the plight of refugees throughout the world. I am most gratified at the attention which this conference attracted. In the Presidents message to the conference there was one sentence in particular which deserves special emphasis. The President said: We must further our efforts to create lasting international understanding of and concern for this (refugee) problem. which I fear will be with us for a long. long time. I think this point is most Important. It must be continually emphasized. To date we have been largely considering the refugee problem as being only a passing situation. Unfortunately. this is not the case. In view of the unrest and turmoil in the world. and the brutal policies of the Soviets. it is almost inevitable that more and more men. women and children are going to be driven from their homes. This is why I have called for a more longrange approach in dealing with the refugee problem. My bill. S. 952. provides that the President may admit to our country approximately 83.000 refugeeescapees each year. there would be no cutoff date. This. in my judgment. is the very least that we can and should do to help alleviate the sufferings of at least a part of these unfortunate people. I ask unanimous consent.
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Refugees refugeeescapees refugee refugees