Speech #900183797

We believe. Mr. President. there is an urgent need for the United States to develop a forthright. national policy of concern and action for refugees throughout the world. The shift in focus of major refugee problems from Europe to lessdeveloped areas of the worldfrom a "cold war" to a universal frameworkhas not carried with it the perspective. creative concern. and dynamic spirit which gave impulse and direction to U.S. refugee activities in early years. Today our national concern for refugees is hampered by ad hoc reactions to individual situations and a timidity of purpose. which does disservice to our national interest and humanitarian tradition. There is an urgent need for the United States to develop a comprehensive and continuing policy toward refugees which is clearly visible to our own citizens and the international communitya compassionate policy which more fully and faithfully expresses our humanitarian concern for the welfare of all who have fled their homesa flexible policy which forcefully declares to the world our readiness to act in concert with others promptly and effectively at all timesand an active policy which is fully integrated into the overall conduct of our foreign relations. in Africa. Asia. the Middle East and elsewhere. There is little doubt that many of the recognized problems in the current conduct of refugee affairs by our Government. lies in the low priority which has been given these affairs in the policy councils and administrative apparatus of the executive branch. Nothing illustrates this more than the history of our involvement in the refugee problem of South Vietnam. Our failure to fully anticipate this problem. our lack of understanding and action in this significant aspect of the Vietnam conflict. has not helped us in winning the allegiance of the Vietnamese people. and threatens the disintegration of their society. The subcommittee believes that refugee affairs should be placed directly in the hands of a Presidential appointee. and in order to insure a degree of continuity and permanency for refugee affairs In the administrative structure of the Department of State. that his office and responsibilities should be prescribed by law. The bill I introduce today would accomplish this objective. Briefly. in amending section 104 of the Immigration and Nationality Act. the bill replaces the Bureau of Security and Consular Affairs in the Department of State with a Bureau of Refugee. Migration and Visa Affairs. headed by an Assistant Secretary of State. His responsibilities to give leadership. guidance and coordination to refugee affairs within the executive branch are broadly prescribed in the bill. The bill establishes within the new Bureau "a visa office and such other offices as the Secretary of State may deem to be appropriate to perform functions. powers and duties relating to the administration of refugee and migration affairs and to perform other functions. powers. and duties relating to the administration of of the Bureau." Finally. the bill transfers out of the present Bureau of Security and Consular Affairs. the Passport Office. and authorizes the Secretary of State to establish the Passport Office elsewhere within the Department. In this connection. Mr.