Speech #940058773

Whether those fears were well founded remains to be seen but. nevertheless. they were real. The United States encouraged and facilitated this mass movement. As of today. some 127.000 refugees from Indochina have placed themselves in the hands of the United States. This bill will authorize the funds needed to he- -..em resettle into new lives. One of the great strengths of our country is- the diversity of its people. We are a piation of immigrants. and refugees. It is fitting: that Congress is considering refugee assistance as we approach the bicentennial of our Nations birth. Help to those who fled from Indochina is in the finest tradition of America. I can think of no better way for Americans to reaffirm what. this country stands for than to give them awarm and friendly welcome. Last Thursday. by a vote of 91 to 1. the Senate passed a resolution. which I quote: Be- it resolved that the Senate reaffirms that the Statue o Liberty- is. as Emma. Lazarus called her.. the Mother of Exiles.. that the Senate reaffirms that the lesson of the- parable of the Good Samaritan lives. on In the minds and hearts of the American people and is a. part of their character. and that the Senate welcomes warmly the latest exiles to our shoresthe refugees from South Vietnam and Cambodia. S. 1661 will implement the sentiments of that resolution.. Let. me summarize the provisions of the bill It would authorize the appropriation of $405.000.000. for refugee relief and. resettlement. The committee expects that additional funds will be requested for the 1977 fiscal year. The President is directed to retrieve any- foreign aid funds in. the pipeline for South Vietnam and Cambodia. If these funds are used for refugee purposes. the amount must be deducted from the overall $405.000.000 authorization. If not used for refugee. purposes. they are to be returned to the Treasury. This provision is consistent with the thrust of Senator HATFIELDs bill. passed by the Senate last Thursday. Later. I will propose an amendment to update this provision. Assistance would be provided under the statutory framework of the Migration and Refugee Assistance Act of 1962. The programs authorized would include such activities as transportation of refugees to reception centers in the United States. care of refugees in the reception centers. onward transportation to areas in the United States for resettlement. vocational training. reimbursement to State and local governments for services performed in behalf of refugees. and return transportation for those who wish to return to their homeland. The President must keep Congress fully and currently informed concerning the refugee program. The Presideht requested an openended authorization and the appropriation of $507 million to cover costs for an estimated 150.000 refugees for the next 14 months. The committee approved an authorization of $405 million. a reduction of $102 million in the appropriation request. There was a strong feeling among the members. that the cost estimates. particularly those for reimbursement to the Defense Department. were inflated and doubts that the total number of refugees is not likely to reach 150.000. the figure on which the administrations cost estimates were based. Additional funds are likely to be required to cover the final stages of the program. which expires on September 30. 1977. The committee will give careful consideration to any request that may be submitted by the President next year. The success of the resettlement of the Indochinese refugees depends in large measure on the. voluntary agencies. not the U.S. Government. They are the key to the. resettlement. effort.