Speech #870199367

Mr. Speaker. suddenly the world has become conscious of the Chinese refugee problem. Hong Kong is flooded with newly arriving escapees and refugees. A year ago I examined firsthand and in great detail the refugee problem in Hong Kong. The Hong Kong government has done a superb job in attempting to cope with the problem. but Hong Kong has reached the saturation point. Our own refugee laws are not adequate. Neither are the refugee laws of most other Western countries. There is no excuse for a donothing attitude on the part of the United States or any other free country that is not in the CViii573 position of a country of first asylum. In this modern day all free countries should consider themselves first asylum countries. That is why I urge that the United States take the lead on refugee legislation. The U.S. Refugee Relief Act. which expired at the end of 1957. was replaced in 1960 by the very limited U.S. escape program. This program is confined almost entirely to Europe and to Europeans. excluding the Far East and the Middle East from any direct participation. In the last session of this Congress I introduced an omnibus bill that takes an approach entirely different from the piecemeal ad hoc approach of the past. This bill would grant broad new authority to the President for an indefinite period. Under it. he could admit up to 10.000 refugees a year. or. in the event of an overriding emergency. an unlimited number. There would be no restrictions as to geographic or ethnic origin. In addition. to meet specific unfulfilled goals of the World Refugee Year. a special number of 20.000 would be admitted in the first 2 years. The President would thus be given flexible authority to accept refugees. year by year. from the areas of most pressing need. However. for purposes of maintaining ultimate legislative authority. the bill would allow the Congress. by joint resolution. to veto the admission of any individual or group proposed by the President. Such a program would represent a significant effort by the United States to accept its fair share of responsibility for the world refugee problem. Legislation of this nature. moreover. would provide a sincere and concrete example that would make it possible for this Nation to exercise persuasive influence on other free nations to accept a share of the responsibility. In each of the two broad lines of actionthe enhancement of efforts by the United Nations and the liberalization of national immigration policiesit is incumbent on the United States to take the lead. We are the leader of the community of free nations. In the problem of refugees as in all world problems. it is our responsibility. by example and by persuasion. to point the way toward workable solutions. Mr. Speaker. I urge the Judiciary Committee of the House. without delay. to take up the subject of refugee legislation. and I recommend consideration of the approach contained in the Lindsay bill. I am glad that the President has urged Americans to "identify ourselves with the quest for human dignity." in his reference yesterday to the Hong Kong refugee problem. But he made no specific recommendations. Words are one thing. action is another. Nothing can be done in the absence of legislation. and I must assume that the President will back me up in pressing the Congress to change its restrictive immigration and refugee laws. I would like to be able to assume also that he will endorse the Lindsay bill. It is important to note that the 1960 refugee and escapee program was deliberately designed to exclude Orientals. I pointed to this at the time of the floor action on this bill and have mentioned It many times since. Why is it that it takes a crisis such as the one that now appears in the Far East to persuade people of the inequity involved in that bill? I note also that recently a distinguished Member of the Senate has recommended changes in the immigration laws. I am delighted that he has shown his concern in this important area. I believe. however. that the Lindsay bill would accomplish more and faster.