Session #93 · 1973–75

Speech #930216416

Mr. Chairman. while I support H.R. 14013. the fiscal 1974 supplemental appropriations measure. I have some reservations about the section of this bill that provides $49 million in aid to the South Vietnamese Government. to finance. according to the committee report. "commodity imports." and for use in other "humanitarian programs" including refugee relief assistance. I am concerned that a portion of these funds might be diverted to other uses which I would consider unacceptablefor example. support of the prison system or police operations of the Thieu government. Because there is no prohibition in this legislation specifically preventing the expenditure of a portion of the $49 million for such purposes. I urge my colleagues. for purposes of clarification of legislative intent. to record their views that none of the moneys contained in this bill are to be used to finance the prisonrelated or policerelated activities of the Thieu regime. A more serious problemand one which I strongly urge my colleagues to consider as we debate H.R. 14013. concerns the nature of the "refugee relief" programs for which funds appropriated by this bill are to be used. Considerable evidence has emerged to indicate that very few benefits from these U.S.financed programs actually reach the people for whom we intend aid. There is substantial evidence of corruption and mismanagement of these programs all down the line of Vietnamese officials involved.
Keywords matched
refugee

Classification

Target group
Sentiment
Negative
Stereotyping
No
Confidence
90%
Model
gemini-2.0-flash
Framing
Humanitarian Legal / procedural

Speaker & context

Speaker
MICHAEL HARRINGTON
Party
D
Chamber
H
State
MA
Gender
M
Date
Speech ID
930216416
Paragraph
#0
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