Speech #970224387

The House agreed. In addition. at the request of Congress we agreed to manage that number so that entries to the United States. would if possible. be at even a lower rate. This has happened so that this year actual admissions to the United States of refugees will be probably less than 100.000. The consultation mechanism is working. The administration I think needs the flexibility which is provided by the Refugee Act to consider both domestic and foreign policy interests in the U.S. refugee program. If we include refugees in this total cap. we will seriously reduce this flexibility. Here is the difference: Immigration policy is principally concerned with family reunification. We have discussed that for most of the day. whereas refugee policy is concerned with the United States accepting its fair share of persons who are fleeing persecution in their homeland. Both policies obviously have a humanitarian purpose. but the two groups should never be allowed to compete for admission. This administration strongly opposes the amendment also because of the severe limitations it would place on the flexibility that it requires in addressing domestic and foreign policy interests.