Members of the Committee. I want to compliment my colleague from California for raising an important subject. The question raised by this amendment is. simply. who is going to pay the bill for Vietnamese refugees. Notwithstanding the importance of that issue. I oppose the gentlemans amendment. The amendment requires that the Secretary of State. in consultation with the Secretary of Health. Education. and Welfare. prepare within 48 hours of the enactment of this bill a report estimating the total cost of relocating Vietnamese refugees. Now. members of the committee. that imposes an impossible burden upon the Secretary. The estimate of the Secretary would be the wildest guess only. There can only be an intelligent estimate of the cost after we know the number of refugees introduced into the United States. That fact. that essential fact. will not be known within 48 hours after the enactment of this bill. It would be far better if the question of cost for relocating refugees were addressed by the appropriate legislative committees having jurisdiction on that subject. It is not my purpose to raise a jurisdictional question concerning this amendment. but it is true that we do have a committee which has developed some competence in the field of immigration and refugees. and they should be permitted to consider this subject after all relevant facts are known. The gentlemans amendment is worthy of purpose. but it is entirely premature. I urge its defeat.
Keywords matched
immigration refugees