Speech #920248639

Mr. Speaker. I say honored because this was an opportunity for me to participate in the consideration of the financing of refugee movements. particularly the increased flow of Jewish refugees from the Soviet Union. Just prior to the ICEM Executive Meeting. the House passed House Concurrent Resolution 471. calling for the free expression of ideas. and the free exercise of religion in the Soviet Union. and the right of Soviet citizens to emigrate to countries of their choice. as affirmed by the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights. to which the Soviet Union is a signatory. The Congress and this administration has also addressed itself to the problem of where Jewish refugees from the Soviet Union would go. once free to leave and how to finance their emigration. Many of us cosponsored "The Soviet Jews Relief Act of 1971" authorizing the issuance of 30.000 special imigrant visas. Our objective was achieved by a commitment by the Attorney General of the United States to use executive parole authority with respect to admitting refugees into the United States. We. in the Congress. realized the enormous cost to Israel of assimilating and resettling refugees. and I am happy to say that our efforts in the past several months have resulted in the appropriation of $85 million to assist in the resettlement costs. The President. to further lessen this financial burden. has authorized $50 million worth of commodities under Title I of Public Law 480. to be made available to Israel. This means that commodities of our country can be sold in Israel by that government. which will realize the proceeds for resettlement of Soviet Refugees. Mr. Speaker. the Intergovernmental Committee for European Migration has basically three responsibilities. One is that of migration between European countries. the pressure for which has diminished with the return of prosperity in the years since World War II. A second responsibility is that of selected migration in which ICEM plays the key role of matching the skills of individuals in emigrating nations with the needs of Latin American countries. The third responsibility is for refugees. This was the most important item on the agenda of the Special Executive Committee meeting. ICEM contributes to the cost of transporting refugees to their final destination. Its budget was based on 1971 refugee movements. which was running about 12.000 to 13.000 from the Soviet Union to Israel with another 5.000 to 6.000 from other countries. In the period January to April 1972. over 10.000 Soviet Jews had transitted through Vienna on their way to Tel Aviv. In the first 16 days of May 1.173 refugees were processed in Vienna. Therefore. the flow of refugees in 1972 projected at over 30.000. had exhausted ICEMs budgeted sums by the end of the first quarter. I would like to read a part of the agenda which was before us at the ICEM meeting. It was decided by IsraelTo take urgent measures to absorb as many Immigrants as possible. regardless of the strains placed upon the economy. This policy was motivated by Israels belief that all persons able to leave In 1972 must be helped before there might be any change in the issuance of exit permitsdespite the provisions of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. To date. in 1972. the agenda continues: These movements to Israel continue in a high volume. averaging betwen 2.000 and 3.000 per month. As this situation was not foreseen. the existing provisions in the budget for 1972 for ICEM financial support for refugee movements to Israel are expected to be exhausted by the time of the Fortyfirst Session of the Executive Committee. Heres the important paragraph 31: As regards the resettlement of refugees. Israel is in the unique position of not only having to bear the cost of their absorption. but also costs which normally are met by the country of asylum or emigration. Therefore. Israel has now asked for an appeal through ICEM to the International community to support its exceptional efforts to welcome these stateless persons by increased financial and other assistance from ICEM for their transit processing and transportation.