Mr. President. I am pleased to Join with Senator SIMPsoN in expediting Senate passage of H.R. 5879. the Refugee Assistance Amendments of 1982. I had intended to offer several amendments. which I have outlined in my additional views included in the committees report on this bill. However. in the spirit of moving this important reauthorization through Congress before the beginning of the fiscal year. I will not offer them at this time. This authorization for refugee resettlement assistance expires unless we actas we mustto reauthorize it. This legislation provides support for the full range of Federal programs to assist refugees coming into our country. Because the admission of refugees is a Federal decision. the Federal Government obviously has a responsibility to help States and local communities in absorbing the refugeeshelping them become selfsufficient. contributing members of our society. In this regard. I want to indicate my concern that this bill extends the reauthorization for only 1 additional year. Frankly. this defeats one of the basic purposes of the Refugee Act of 1980of ending the yearbyyear. everchanging character of our refugee resettlement program. Although Federal assistance should be carefully monitored by Congress. we can achieve this without requiring annual reauthorizations of what are longterm programs and multiyear Federal commitments to States and local communities. I believe a 3year authorization. with careful monitoring by Congress. would make far more sense. I know that Senator SIMPSON has indicated he will consider this approach when we look at these and other issues involved in refugee resettlement early in the next Congress. With that understanding. I urge the Senate to adopt H.R. 5879 and send it to the Presidents desk.* The bill was ordered to a third reading. read the third time. and passed.
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