Speech #920176968

But this development is a mixed blessing for Israel. If the current trend holds. as it Is expected to. Israel will receive 40.000 to 60.000 new refugees this year from the Soviet Union alone. The financial and social costs of absorbing and resettling these refugees are enormous and constitute a crushing burden. particularly in view of the many other demands on the Israeli budget growing out of the difficult political situation in the Middle East. Most of these refugees arrive in Israel with few financial resources of their own since the Soviet Government taxes them heavily for the privilege of emigrating. Our Nation has a long tradition of help for refugees. We are. ourselves. a Nation of refugees. We have contributed more than $2.8 billion to ease the difficult lives of refugees since World War II. We have provided. for example. close to $600 million to help refugees from Cuba. and $85 million for Korean refugees. Arab refugees have received more than $500 million over the years in aid from the United States. We can take great pride in the generosity and comfort we have accorded these and many other groups who have suffered hardships growing out of war and political upheaval. This long humanitarian tradition of American aid to refugees demands that we now offer our help to Soviet Jewish refugees for whose freedom to emigrate we have appealed. But it is also in our own interest to provide this assistance. We have long recognized that the wellbeing of Israel contributes to the security of free nations everywhere. We cannot and must not now ignore an economic burden on Israel which could be as damaging to its wellbeing as any military threat. The best way to assure that adequate financial assistance is available to Israel to meet this economic burden and to quickly and humanely resettle these .refugees from the Soviet Union is to earmark funds for that purpose now. That is the purpose of the legislation we are introducing today. It would authorize $85.000.000 for fiscal year 1973 to be furnished by the Secretary of State to Israel to be used to house. clothe. feed. educate. train. and otherwise assist Jewish refugees from the Soviet Union who take up residence in Israel. I am hoping that the Foreign Affairs Committee in the House. of which Mr. HALPER N and I are members. and the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. will take prompt action on this legislation so that the full amount authorized can be included in the State Department Appropriations bill for fiscal year 1973. We will certainly be working toward that end. with the support of the following Members who have cosponsored this important legislation: CospoNsoRs or SOVIET JEwIsH REFUGEE