The inclusion of this separate provision reenacting the limitation on the Presidents "drawdown" authority is necessary. inasmuch as section 2 of the bill would repeal section 655(a) of the act which contained the original limitation. Essentially. this bill seeks two kinds of action from the Congressan authorization of additional funds for military supplies and the lifting of overall aid ceilings so that food for peace already available can be shipped to feed the victims of the war. Five years of constant. and often intense warfare has shattered the economic life of Cambodia. taken thousands of lives and made refugees of as many as 1.5 million peoplemore than a fifth of the total population. The new offensive launched January 1 by the Communist forces has further ravaged the already devastated economy of the country and created more than 60.000 new refugees as Cambodians "voted with their feet" inadvance of the insurgent forces. In addition. *the offensive has set back seriously refugee crop programs. forcing heavier reliance on and faster depletion of imported Public Law 480 rice supplies. Between $73 and $100 million in additional rice and wheat will be required this fiscal year to avert economic collapse and even starvation in Cambodia. These vital commodities are available through funds already included in the Food and Peace program but cannot be shipped until the overall ceiling on Cambodian aid is lifted.
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refugee refugees