Speech #970046874

President. I join with my chairman of the Committee on the Judiciary in proposing this amendment to the reconciliation bill of 1981. As chairman of the Subcommittee on Immigration and Refugee Policy. I do want to reaffirm the principles of the Refugee Act of 1980 as reported out by the Committee on the Judiciary last year. This act provided the sole statutory authorization for refugee admissions to the United States. and for domestic assistance to these refugees as they are resettled into American communities. I am not commenting on the issue out of a sensitivity of a burgeoning turf battle. The facts must be presented. This year. the Subcommittee on Immigration and Refugee Policy will conduct the annual consultation with the Departments of State and Justice to determine the number and geographical distribution of those refugees who will be admitted to the United States for resettlement in fiscal year 1982. In determining this number. we shall consider what the American "fair share" should be while insuring that other nations of the free world do also accept their responsibility for providing haven to those persons of the Earth who are fleeing persecution. The United States has been most truly generous in accepting for permanent resettlement so many victims of persecution who could not return or be repatriated to their own countries or be resettled in the country to which they first fled. It is in the national interest of the United States to continue this tradition. However. we must insure that the total numbers of refugees coming in will not jeopardize the welfare of those American communities who have been the most hospitable to them. During this years consultation on refugee admissions. I intend to fully examine the feasibility of establishing an overall "cap" on immigrationwhich would include refugees. Whatever the number of refugees the Congress may decide to admit into the United States. it is very clearly the responsibility of the Federal Government to provide the necessary funds to facilitate their resettlement and their economic selfsufficiency. We cannot reduce the authorization for the domestic resettlement programs to such a level that the States should have to fully absorb the costs for the refugees who have been resettled within their communities. As the chairman of the Committee on the Judiciary so well pointed out. States. counties. and voluntary organizations already are providing many services to refugees for which they receive no reimbursement. Clearly. the Federal Government could not handle this responsibility alone without their continued assistance and cooperation. Mr. President. I strongly urge passage of this amendment which will place the domestic refugee resettlement program back into the proper jurisdiction of the Committee on the Judiciary and still meet the authorization of appropriations at the levels requested by the President.