Speech #860086618

Mr. President. my amendment to the mutual security bill62959Bis to authorize $10 million to be used at the Presidents discretion for Federal participation in the World Refugee Year. which began in this counAs we enter into this historic humanitarian venture. I regret to say that the administration has not yet come forward with an adequate program for our participation in World Refugee Year. In the absence of such a program. I bring this amendment before the Senate in the hope that we will take positive steps to start out on the right foot in World Refugee Year. This amendment would authorize the appropriation of $10 million to be used at the Presidents discretion during World Refugee Year for assistance. either directly or through intergovernmental organizations or agencies. to the various refugee groups. in furtherance of permanent solutions of the refugee problem. This amendment is appropriate at this time and germane to the nonmilitary aspects of the mutual security bill. because the refugee problem constitutes a grave threat to the peace in many sectors of the world and to the security of many free nations. I propose that this $10 million could be used in the. following manner to make a significant contribution to the solution of this problem. The figures I use are merely illustrative. The $10 million for particular programs and projects would. of course. be left to the Presidents discretion. First. Two million dollars to provide housing. vocational training. business loans. facilities for the aged and infirm. and staff counselors for the 32.000 refugees in European camps. including the 19.000 under the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees camp clearance program in Europe. Second. $2 million to provide vocational training and selfsupport grants for approximately 1 million Arab refugees in Egypt. Lebanon. Syria. and Jordan. Third. $2 million to provide supplementary food. medical supplies. educational and recreational facilities. loans. housing and schools for some 900.000 Chinese refugees in Hong Kong. Fourth. $1.5 million to provide housing. care and maintenance. medical assistance. loans. and resettlement assistance for 130.000 outofcamp refugees in Austria. Belgium. France.