Speech #970191254

Chairman. I rise to respond to the concerns expressed by several Judiciary Committee members and by some of our colleagues in opposition to H.R. 5879. I refer particularly to those who oppose this legislation because it fails to redefine the term "refugee" in the Refugee Act of 1980 or because they do not feel refugee funding should be continued while Haitians are being detained for inordinate periods of time in south Florida and elsewhere. I certainly share these concerns and can assure my colleagues that they will be carefully and thoroughly addressed by the Judiciary Committee. The committee has been careful to note in the legislative history to this legislation that the 1 year authorization period is intended to insure that these matters will be closely examined by the committee over the course of the next year. The most fundamental issue to be addressed is the definition of "refugee" as set forth in the Refugee Act. As is indicated in the dissenting views to the committee report on H.R. 5879. several members of the Judiciary Committee have deep concerns over the lack of consistency and uniformity in applying the refugee definition to applicants around the world. as well as to asylum applicants in this country. This matter is indeed ripe for close committee scrutiny. I am equally concerned by the inconsistent application of the detention policies of the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS). While a district court in Miami earlier this week did determine that such policies were not racially motivated. the court refused to sanction enforcement of these policies since they were adopted in a "procedurally improper way." In fact. the judge has scheduled an extremely important meeting for tomorrow to determine the effect of his ruling and the future steps that must be taken by INS to implement the courts order. The committee will be anxious to learn the results of that court hearing. and will monitor the executive branchs implementation of it.