Mr. President. the only disagreement with respect to the refugee joint resolution was rather freely expressed last night. It was over the amendment submitted by the Senator from Hawaii . providing for the admission of 4.500 refugees for a period of 2 years. under United Nations mandate. That was the one item in controversy in the conference. We discussed the matter at length. The situation in the conference was simply this: The House conferees said. "We will not accept it. It is a departure from the approach to this matter. because the four House bills which are consolidated in this joint resolution dealt essentially with the European refugee problem. in order to get the refugee camps in Europe closed and finally to get out of this business." So the measure dealt with essentially a similar group of persons. but in Europe only. The House committee members will be going to the Orient this year. and it is anticipated that when they return they will be willing to go as far as the Senator from Hawaii had in mind. if not further. That is the situation. But as to this joint resolution. the House conferees said they would not accept an amendment providing for the admission from other areas of even as many as one refugee. After a full and complete conference. that was still their position. As I said last nightwhen I said I would assert the position taken by the SenateI did assert. in the conference. the position of the Senate. The House conferees said. "If that is the case. there will be no bill." Mr. President. this is World Refugee Year. and we are deeply interested in having this measure enacted into law. for it contains provisions which relate not only to orphans and to the Dutch and to the Portuguese. but also to narcotics and to the admission into the United States of our share of the European refugees. in the proportion of receiving one in the United States for every three received by European countriesin short. we will take onefourth.
Keywords matched
Refugee refugee refugees