Speech #940057049

Chairman. regardless of an individuals feelings on the merits of the Vietnam war. it has been a bitter experience for the United States. It is understandable. therefore. that many Americans want to forget the pain of this tragedy by ignoring those who have fled from it. However. while our involvement in Vietnam is essentially over. the plight of the South Vietnamese refugees remains and cannot be overlooked by the United States. I would hate to think that either opposition to the war. relief at its conclusion. or bitterness at its outcome have numbed our sensitivity to the plight of those who were able to flee its ravages. Many South Vietnamese believed in and supported our policies. and they have left their country because they dared not live under the new regime. Most of these people have turned to the United States as the only country which could offer them an opportunity to rebuild their shattered lives. I refuse to believe that the people of the United States have forgotten their history. At one point or another. we have all been immigrants. Some of our earliest settlers came here to avoid religious persecution or a debtors prison. Some came to escape famine or pogroms. Some came for political freedom or economic opportunity. Some were brought here against their will. Regardless of their background. these immigrantsturnedAmericans have contributed to the growth of the United States and to the better life which this Nation universally symbolizes for the homeless or oppressed. Now. when we are being asked to accept a new wave of immigrants. is not the time to turn our backs and disregard our moral and humanitarian commitment to assist those who seek refuge in our country. Some people object to the new immigrants because of the state of our economy. The combination of inflation and recession is a serious problem. but it has not been caused by and will not be aggravated by these South Vietnamese refugees. Only an estimated 35.000 heads of household will require jobs. At the same time. the United States already allows 400.000 legal immigrants into the country each year. In addition. approximately 8 million illegal aliens in the United States hold an estimated 1 or more million jobs. Finally. the United States already allows 41.000 temporary workers to enter the country each year because they are willing to do work which Americans refuse to do. In light of these figures. the impact of the Vietnamese refugees on our labor forces will be insignificant. Furthermore. history shows that most immigrants are quickly absorbed into the labor force and do not burden the economy for a long period of time. In the name of decency and compassion. the United States should help provide a new home for those people who have fled from South Vietnam. The legislation which the House of Representatives considers today will provide temporary assistance to enable these people to enter the mainstream of American society.