Speech #960175490

Mr. Chairman. there is no bill that has come before the Congress of the United States this year that needs passing any more than H.R. 2816. For years we have followed a very inconsistent policy toward the refugees of Southeast Asia. After the fall of Vietnam. our program even ceased for a period of time. even though the problem was continuing to grow. I personally became involved in this matter a couple years ago in talking to the leaders of the first asylum nations for refugees throughout Southeast Asia. At that time the United States was putting pressure on these nations not to turn back the refugees at their borders. We were encouraging these people. although our policies were not clear. to take the refugees and protect them and to keep them from dying on the high seas. Mr. Chairman. this country is a country that cares and we do not have any choice but to pass legislation that will provide a comprehensive policy for the refugees and the bringing of refugees into this country out of Southeast Asia and other areas. C] 1700 I just left Griffin Bell. the former Attorney General. We talked about this problem. He talked about the problem he had as Attorney General in trying to operate without a statute dealing with the comprehensive problem of refugees. As we know. he extended his power greatly and worked with the Congress. which he recognizes is the proper body to deal with refugees in trying to cooperate with the first asylum countries and provide assistance by giving permanent asylum to refugees. Mr. Chairman. we cared enough about resisting communism to commit our own troops and our own people to fight communism in Vietnam. Surely we care enough now to provide a comprehensive policy to help the people that we cared about before and to at least provide them some opportunity. Sometimes I run into problems in my district with the refugee question and with people who wonder why we even care or do anything for them. I can imagine how those people who have to be elected in their own countriesin Thailand and Malaysia and other first asylum countries---must feel with the pressure they have from their constituents to turn these people back. Those countries are not nearly as well off as we are or as well equipped to try to help these people. I do not think that the United States can turn its back on providing a continuous program for the refugees. I do not think we can afford to refuse to help those people and those countries that we have encouraged to allow these people to come into their countries on a temporary basis. We cannot afford not to tell the countries of first asylum what they can depend on from us.