Speech #940064198

Mr. Speaker. two recent articles which have appeared in the Washington Post have tended to bring into focus a number of issues involved in the refugee assistance program which this country is involved in currently. I refer to an article by Clayton Fritchey from the May 14. 1975. Post. entitled "Our Traditional Immigration Policy." and the article in the May 16. Post by Susan Jacoby. entitled "The New Immigrants." I think that each of these writers has managed to bring a worthwhile perspective to the influx of refugees which we are experiencing. and I think that when my colleagues review these articles. they will find that they must agree that we are facing a long term responsibility not only to these most recent arrivals. but to those who have arrived in the past few years and who are still in the process of "settling" in America. and to those who will come in the years ahead. The Federal Government must address this problem as soon as possible. In addition to including in these remarks the two articles to which I refer. I would like once again to call the attention of my colleagues to the legislation which has been before them in the 93d Congress and which is before them again this year which would delineate Federal responsibility for assisting immigrants through grants to the State and city governments with which they must deal most often. My bill. H.R. 2522. has recently received a strong endorsement from the U.S.