Mr. Speaker. when the issue of Vietnamese refugees first reached discussion on the House floor. I expressed my concern as to the impact of an influx of refugees on our local communities. especially in todays depressed economy. However. we were assured that the refugees would be dispersed throughout the country. thus avoiding any heavy financial burdens on local jurisdictions. Additionally. Congress passed the Indochina Migration and Refugee Assistance Act of 1975. which provides funds for refugee relief. Now. several months later. where do we stand? By July 10. 1.330 Indochinese refugees had been dispersed to the welfare rolls of Los Angeles County. The administration. after announcing that the costs of educating refugee children was not a Federal responsibility. backed down and appears to be ready to assume at least some of these expenses. Additional refugees are applying for welfare in Los Angeles County at a rate of 25 a day. Obviously. the refugee resettlement program is not working well. In a letter to President Ford. Joe Pollard. the legislative consultant for Los Angeles County. points out some of the problems local agencies have had with the refugee situation. I would like to place this letter In the RECORD. so that the information it contains will be available to other Members who are Interested in this problem. The letter points out two major problems. The first. and probably most important. is that the sponsorship program. in which U.S. citizens accept responsibility for the refugees before they leave the relocation centers. is simply not working. Second. administrative costs for handling the refugees are becoming a major expense. Obviously. we want to make these people welcome in their new land. and it is In the best American tradition for us to offer them a helping hand as they settle in the United States. However. the refugee resettlement program was. and is. a Federal responsibility. and we must make sure that responsibility is met. The letter follows:
Keywords matched
Refugee refugee refugees