Mr. President. it will be used primarily for war victims. for civilian war casualties. and other health programs. and for refugees in Cambodia. Cambodia is the only country in Southeast Asia that has not received U.S. funds for refugees. They have received certain kinds of foodstuffs. but. unlike South Vietnam or Laos. they have not participated in any kind of U.S. aid program for refugees. The best estimate is that there are now 2 million refugees in Cambodia and tens of thousands of war victims. This is an amendment not to increase the authorization. but to take counterpart funds that would otherwise be expended and to earmark them for the war victims of Cambodia. The need is apparent. The GAO reports and our own committee reports of the Subcommittee on Refugees show that there is a tremendous need for health assistance to refugees. There has been a general reluctance on the part of the Government of Cambodia to meet these requests because they have feltand the record shows thisthat. if they made a request for civilian needs. perhaps their military aid would be reduced. I believe that the amendment is worth while.
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Refugees refugees