Speech #940057245

Mr. Chairman. I rise in support of this bill to appropriate $405 million for assistance to Cambodian and Vietnamese refugees. This money is divided into two categories: $305 million for the State Department to cover movement and resettlement costs. and $100 million to HEW for medical and social services to refugees moving to the United States. The bill prohibits the use of these funds by North Vietnam or the provisional revolutionary government in Saigon. and also bars aid to these governments by international organizations or voluntary groups using funds under this Act. The committee has cut $108 million from the Presidents request in this bill. We found in the testimony before our committee that a great deal of uncertainty is associated with the actual number of refugees that will finally stay in this country and the extent to which the refugees will actually need Federal assistance. In accord with the spirit in which we recently authorized these funds. we must be generous in approving the funds needed to implement the refugee assistance program. We reduced the Presidents request with the understanding that if the actual cost of the program is greater than expected. the appropriation might be adjusted at a later date. But by the same token. it would be inappropriate to reduce the level of funding contained in this bill. A large portion of the funds provided are for onetime. startup expenses within the staging areas and rehabilitation centers. Funds are also needed for transportation from the staging areas to these centers. and on to the refugees new homes. A reduction in this appropriation could slow down the entire relocation process and for that reason I urge against such an action. It is not expected that these refugees will be a burden upon American society. Every effort is being made. in cooperation with appropriate volunteer agencies. to relocate refugees as widely as possible. in order to prevent the evolution of refugee enclaves. We hope to avoid the kinds of impact problems associated. for example. with the settlement of the vast majority of Cuban refugees in the State of Florida. C ---907Part 11 The number of heads of household who will be seeking employment amounts to about 35.000. or less than 0.1 percent of our present work force. Every effort will be made to avoid resettling refugees in high unemployment areas. A preliminary survey of the refugees shows that over 50 percent were professionals. skilled workers. clerical workers. and journalists. There was practically no illiteracy. Almost 70 percent of the first group of heads of household spoke English already.