Mr. President. last year my amendment to the Refugee Assistance Act required the President to submit a report to Congress on the total costs of our domestic and foreign refugee assistance efforts. This report has finally been completed and the results are surprising. In fiscal year 1980 Federal. State and local governments will spend an estimated $1.7 billion and this will escalate to $2.112 billion in fiscal year 1981. The continual and rapid rise in the cost of our refugee assistance efforts should be a matter of serious concern to Congress. While the United States should continue to have a reasonable and humane refugee program. it must be tempered by overall budget restraints. Our refugees assistance efforts will have to be looked at very critically in light of the fact that many domestic assistance programs are scheduled to remain at the same level or be cut back in fiscal year Unfortunately. those cost figures are only estimates and could still increase. A January 1980 assessment of the Indochinese refugee program by the HEW Inspector General found that many of the needs of refugees resettled in this country are not being met. The report states: Doubling the number of refugees will likely result in further reductions in the extent and quality of services. if current problems are not addressed. this could become a major national issue. I ask that both of these reports be printed in the RECORD. The reports follow:
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