I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker. this is a 1hour. open rule providing for the consideration of H.R. 4955. authorizing appropriations for migration and refugee assistance for fiscal year 1980 and 1981. The rule waives section 402(a) of the Congressional Budget Act. which requires that new budget authority be reported by May 15 preceding the beginning of the fiscal year. In a letter from the chairman of the Budget Committee to the chairman of the Rules Committee. the Rules Committee learned that the Budget Committee had voted to support an emergency waiver of section 402 (a) due to the emergency nature of the request. H.R. 4955 authorizes an additional appropriation of $207.290.000 for fiscal year 1980 and $203.610.000 fur fiscal year 1981 to be used for refugee assistance and resettlement. These amounts are said to be necessary for the United States to meet its apparent commitment of resettling up to 14.000 Vietnamese refugees per month. Mr. Speaker. the world was horrorstruck when some Indochina countries announced they would not only repel refugees but also would take those already within their borders and put them out to sea again. Although it is my understanding that the Government of Malaysia has rescinded this threat. they have greatly restricted the number of refugees admitted since the socalled migration began. Malaysia is not alone in this decision. since Thailand. Indonesia. Japan. the Philippines. Singapore. and Macao have limited the entry of refugees for some time. Obviously. with an estimated 60.000 people leaving Vietnam each month. the situation is not a pleasant one. Americans by nature are humanitarians.
Keywords matched
refugee refugees