Speech #960105900

Mr. President. the bill we are considering todayS. 643. the Refugee Act of 1979deals with one of the oldest and most important themes in our Nations history: Welcoming homeless refugees to our shores. It also will give statutory meaning to our nationa commitment to human rights and hu. manitarian concerns. which are not nov reflected in our immigration laws. They relate to our countrys ability tc respond to the needs of refugees anc homeless people around the worldwhic touch at the heart of Americas foreign policy. Refugees have become a worldwide phenomenon of our timethe tragedy oi countless men. women. and children forced to leave their homes and lands for as many reasons as there are for the violence and conflict among people and nations. Almost daily. we see their tired. sad. weary images on our televisions and in our newspapers. Whether they be the "boat people" fleeing the upheavals in Indochina. refugees in Southern Africa fleeing racism or guerrilla war. or Soviet Jews and Eastern Europeans seeking the promise of the Helsinki Accords. their plight is known to us. And America has responded. We have a proud record of accomplishment in offering a helping hand to refugees. and I believe our national policy of welcome to the homeless has served our country and our traditions well. Today we are considering legislation that will help us to do this job betterto resettle refugees more humanely. with greater planning. and at reduced costs. For too long. our Nations policy toward refugee assistance and resettlement has been AD HOC with refugees being admitted in fits and starts. and after long delays and great human sufferingbecause our existing immigration law is inadequate. discriminatory. and totally out of touch with todays needs. The legislation before us will update our law governing the admission and resettlement of refugees. It will help insure greater equity in our treatment of refugees. It will rationalize and put in the statute how we treat all refugees. and make our law conform to the United Nations Convention and protocol relating to the status of refugees. which we signed in 1969. Briefly. the bill accomplishes five basic objectives: First. it repeals the current immigration laws discriminatory treatment of refugees by providing a new definition of a refugee that recognizes the plight of homeless people all over the world. and by according refugee admissions the same immigration status given all other immigrants. Second. it raises the annual limitation on regular refugee admissions from 17.400 to 50.000. This is accomplished withoutand let me emphasize thiswithout really increasing overall annual immigration to the United States in recent years. since the parole authority has been used repeatedly to exceed the current 17.400 limit on refugee admissions. Third. the bill provides an orderly but flexible procedure for meeting emergency refugee situations and any other situations of special concern to the United States. if the resettlement needs of the homeless people involved cannot be met within the regular 50.000 ceiling. I Fourth. it provides for the first time - the statutory requirement that Congress 7 be consulted before refugees are admitted. and defines and exerts congressional control over the process. Fifth. it provides for Federal support of the refugee resettlement process and extends coverage to all refugees entering the United States for 2 years for cash and medical benefits. and for a longer period for other programs that help the refugees normalize their lives in their adopted communities.