Speech #940056881

Mr. Chairman. I rise in support of H.R. 6755. the Indochina Migration and Refugee Assistance Act. which establishes a temporary program. through September 1977. to transport Cambodian and Vietnamese refugees to the United States and to help sustain them with the necessities of life until they can gain a foothold in our land. This measure provides funds to move approximately 20.000 refugees to third countries which are willing to receive them. It is anticipated that -approximately 130.000 men. women. and children of Southeast Asia will seek refuge in our Nation. To date approximately 121.000 refugees from Indochina have entered U.S. governmental control. Some recent irresponsible statements calling for the return of the refugees to Vietnam. not only do this country a disCXXI905Part I I service. but repudiate everything that this great Nation has stood for. America is a nation of immigrants. Countless times in our history we have opened our arms to new waves of immigrantsto the old. to the weary. and to the downtrodden. Following World War II. the United States absorbed 1.4 million displaced persons. after the Hungarian uprising in 1956. we took in 50.000 Hungarian refugees and provided a homeland for 600.000 Cubans following the Cuban crisis. We must not now forget our heritage or our moral obligation to any of these helpless refugees who have turned to us in their hour of need. many of whom cannot return to their native lands because of fear of persecution. Accordingly. I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 6755.