President. I introduce today an amendment to S. 1248. the State Department authorization legislation. This amendment would create a new Office of Humanitarian and Social Services to coordinate the refugee. migration. and disaster relief activities of our Government. Under the terms of the amendment. a new Bureau of Humanitarian and Social Services would be created within the Department of State and would be headed by an Assistant Secretary of State nominated by the President and confirmed by the Senate. All functions within the Department with respect to refugee and migration affairs and disaster assistance would become the responsibility of this official. He would also be charged with operational responsibility for coordinating the activities of the United States in response to appeals for refugee relief or disaster assistance from abroad. This responsibility would include the conduct of liaison with voluntary overseas relief agencies and with international agencies. Mr. President. this amendment is urgently needed. Our present response to appeals for refugee relief and disaster assistance is governed by an ad hoc. temporary approach too often gauged by the degree of public and congressional pressure. There is no single official in our Government who has continuing responsibility for the coordination of our response to such appeals. The result is our policies are diffuse and hydraheaded and they foster neglect and indecision where unified action is needed. Our experience with the ad hoc committees formed to focus the resources of the United States on specific refugee or disaster situations has been unsatisfactory. The time required to make such committees operational hinders their eventual effectiveness. They have been subjected to rivalries among agencies of our own Government. leaving their ability to deal with problems in the field much diminished.