Mr. President. in order to meet the needs of these refugees for special adult education I intend to introduce an amendment to S. 2145. I am pleased that Senator MONDALE will join me in cosponsoring this amendment. This amendment would add a new section to the Adult Education Act. which will provide special purpose grants to State and local education agenices to support adult education projects for these refugees. The bill would not require any additional authorization of appropriation. because the Adult Education Act is currently funded at less than half of its full authorization. The bill provides for a program for only 2 fiscal years. so that the sudden impact of the refugees can be supported. while regular Federal and nonfederally supported adult education programs will meet the longer range needs. Mr. President. this amendment has been carefully drawn to include safeguards that these grants would not duplicate other programs. that assurances are provided that projects are located near adult refugees who need these services. and that the only refugees served are those as defined in the general purpose Indochinese Refugee Act passed by the Senate last May on the report of the Committee on Foregin Relations and approved by the President on May 23 as Public Law 9423. Thus this is a limited bill to meet a specific need for a fixed period of time. I should note that under the authority of Public Law 9423. HEW is currently planning to distribute $5 million to support special refugee education projects for adults. I am pleased that this start has been made. But I am concerned that this amount of $5 million will not meet adequately the needs which I have just outlined. The National Advisory Council on Adult Education estimated that approximately $21.4 million over 2 years will be necessary to meet these needs. Thus. this proposed amendment will create specific authority for education aid for adult refugees as a companion to aid for refugee children authorized in S. 2145. The Senate has already acted on May 8 to welcome the Indochina refugees to our Nation by Senate Resolution 148. I am hopeful that my colleagues will support S. 2145 and the adult education amendment so that these refugees will receive the education services necessary in the resettlement process to integrate them into the fabric of American society. I ask unanimous consent that the text of this amendment be published in the RECORD.
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Refugee refugee refugees