I commend my colleague for the very thoughtful remarks he has made and the program he has enunciated. Earlier today I spoke on one phase of this subject. which is the international action to allocate these refugees. and I spoke specifically of the obligations of the United States. I am sure my colleague remembers when we adopted here in the Senate the amendment offered by the distinguished Senator from Hawaii which would have permitted 50.000 such refugees to be absorbed in this country. No action was taken on the amendment in the other body. unfortunately. We now have before us an immigration bill sponsored by the Senator from Michigan . and I believe my colleague from New York . myself. and other Senators. which would in truth make just a small dent in this problem. It is incumbent upon us not simply to shed tears about this problem because it is a tragic situation. but also to gear ourselves to doing something about it. I hope very much the appropriate subcommittee of the Committee on the Judiciary will hold hearings on this legislation or other legislation which would touch on this unique Hong Kong problem. as well as the larger immigration issues. The United States could take only a very minuscule percentage of the millions on millions who want to flee from communism to freedom. but if we did that. and did it promptly. it would be a sincere token of our feelings. It would also yield rich returns Internationally. particularly among those of our nonCommunist friends of Asian extraction. Of course. the natural place for many of these refugees to go would be to join their countrymen in Formosa. I must commend. as did the Senator from South Dakota . the Government of Taiwan for offering to take. I believe. unlimited numbers of those who may be brought to their shores.
Keywords matched
immigration refugees