Speech #960106028

I thank the Senator. This substitute amendment which I have introduced with Senator CRANSTON to the Refugee Assistance Act of 1979 would provide continued Federal reimbursement for 1 more year to all Indochinese refugees who are still in need of assistance. Refugees who enter the United States after the bill is passed would be provided with 2 years assistance by the Federal Government under this legislation. These costs are currently covered for the Indochinese refugees under the Indochina Refugee Migration and Assistance Act which will expire September 30. This authorizing statute has paid for the assistance given to Indochinese refugees since their arrival in the United States in 1975. S. 643. as it was amended by the Judiciary Committee. will continue with the "special project" funds currently authorized in the Indochina Migration and Refugee Assistance Act to provide $40 million annually for special projects and programs. However. the bill limits the 100percent Federal support of medical. cash. and employment programs to the first 2 years after the refugees entry into the United States. This would place an enormous burden on those States in which the refugees have settled. Despite tWe fact that these remarkable people have achieved an impressive record of assimilation into our society. many of the refugees require more than 2 years to become selfsufficient. A thoroughly adequate period of time is needed to properly complete the resettlement process. The withdrawal of Federal funds at this point. when the refugees are still in need of this assistance. would place the financial burden of this task on private agencies and State and local governments. This would mean an especially heavy burden on those States in which the refugees tend to settle. In Los Angeles County. the data shows that 88 percent of the IRAP caseload are refugees who have been in the United States for 36 months or more. demonstrating that Federal aid should be continued for a period of time longer than the amount of time proposed by the legislation. Terminating 100 percent Federal assistance for refuges already in the United States would cost State and local governments at least $110 million by 1981. California alone would have to bear more than $60 million of this cost. Approximately 27 percent of the refugees are now in California. In Los Angeles County alone. onethird of the 16.000 Indochinese welfare recipients migrated to the county from other States. States with high concentrations of Indochinese refugeesCalifornia. Texas. Pennsylvania.