Speech #960267388

Failure to grant the Presidents request for category 1 funding would seriously disrupt the activities of the Federal agencies which have already incurred major expenses. The Department of Defense has had to house and feed the Cubans at military bases. The Coast Guard made a major effort in guarding the safety of the heavily laden small boats. as well as enforcing the prohibition on immigration when it was announced. The Public Health Service had to provide initial medical care and examinations to all entrants. The costs of housing. feeding. transportation and medical care continue until all the entrants are relocated to communities around the country. Grants of $300 per entrant are being made to private social service agencies which are relocating the entrants so they will not remain in processing centers as wards of the Federal Government. Regardless of how one feels about the various decisions of the administration on refugees. these are clearly unavoidable costs for which funds must be appropriated. The first item in the category 1 supplemental funds is $245 million for FEMA (the Federal Emergency Management Administration). This is mostly to reimburse the Department of Defense for their expenses in running the various camps housing the Cuban arrivals. but there are also some funds to reimburse State and local governments for their reception expenses. such as police protection and temporary housing. The second item is $25.3 million to pay for education programs. Twothirds of - this money. $17.6 million. is for adult education programs in English language. literacy and job skills. We have learned - over the years that most immigrants want to work but lack the simple necessary skills. The earlier Cuban arrivals and the more recent Indochinese have both been notable successes in attaining * economic selfsufficiency. and there is no better investment we can make. The administration estimates that at least onethird of the 130.000 recent arrivals are adults who lack these basic skills.