Speech #970224390

They crossed the border and lay down on the ground to die. The children did not laugh or play. their bellies were distended from malnutrition. and their faces were shriveled up like those of little old men. This Nations refugee policy helped keep those people alivenot because they would eventually come to the United States. but because we could credibly demonstrate to other countries in the region our willingness to help them with a large refugee population. The biggest problem with the worlds refugees is not finding them a third country for permanent resettlement. The biggest problem is finding a place of temporary refuge. a place of first asylum. where they can stay either until conditions in their home country permit their return or until resettlement can be arranged. Vietnamese refugees had overloaded the capacity of friendly countries in that region to respond humanely. Hundreds of thousands more Cambodians exacerbated the problem. Thailand. the principal refuge for both groups. was having great logistical and political difficulty with the presence of so many refugees in their country. The Thai Government was able to withstand internal pressures against providing asylum for one reason. and one reason alonethe United States committed itself to resettling a large number of refugees in this country. Equipped with this knowledge. the Thais were able to withstand internal pressure to turn away those coming across their borders for refuge. Tens of thousands of Cambodian lives were saved in 1979 and 1980. Those people are alive today not only because they were fed. and clothed. and sheltered. They are alive because there was a place to go for food and shelter. Our refugee policy was fundamental to that fact. This amendment would effectively shut off our ability to respond similarly at a time of future crisis. This is a lifethreatening amendment. and it is wrong. Others have made the arguments that ours is a nation of immigrants who often came seeking refuge from oppression. I agree. I also believe very strongly that the principal difference between America and the Soviet Union is the value that we as a society place on the sanctity of human life. dignity. and personal freedom. A flexible refugee policy personifies these proud American traits. Let us not reject our heritage. Let us not tie our hands.