Speech #980137696

Mr. Speaker. I am pleased to speak in support of H.R. 3729. a bill that extends for 2 additional years the funding authorization for the domestic resettlement of refugees. American acceptance of refugees promotes important humanitarian and foreign policy goals. The United States has saved the lives and futures of countless thousands. promoted the stability of a number of our allies. and set a high standard for the rest of the world. The people who have come to the United States as refugees. moreover. have made an inordinate contribution to our society. Our historic experience gives me confidence that the United States will continue to display compassion toward the persecuted of other lands. Refugee resettlement efforts in recent years. however. have been plaqued by unacceptabily high levels of welfare dependency. Last year Congress. in passing the Refugee Assistance Amendments of 1982. took some important steps to address our resettlement problems. A clear statement of congressional intent in the 1982 reauthorization emphasized job placement as soon as possible after a refugees arrival in the United States. That bill required voluntary agencies and welfare offices to share certain information critical to refugee selfsufficiency. We strengthened the provision of the Refugee Act that conditions the availability of cash assistance to employable refugees on registration with an appropriate employment agency or service. The change in the law eliminated the exception that had permitted a refugee to obtain cash assistance without registering during a 60day period after entry. Another section of the 1982 legislation emphasized the importance of initial placement decisions. Resettlement policies. under the mandate in that bill. must avoid unnecessary placements in highly impacted areas. This year. I am pleased to note. the Judiciary Committee has taken new initiatives to discourage welfare dependency and encourage selfsufficiency. We have expanded and clarified the provision of last years reauthorization bill that terminates cash assistance if a refugee an appropriate employment offer or refuses to participate in an appropriate social service program. H.R. 3729 also provides for the Director of the Office of Refugee Resettlement to arrange. to the extent of available appropriations. for medical coverage during a refugees first year in the United States. The separation of medical assistance from cash assistance is designated to avoid introducing refugees to our elaborate welfare system. During our full committee markup. I offereed an amendmentwhich the committee adoptedto provide the Congress with the critical information it needs to implement alternatives to welfare for meeting the transitional needs of refugees. The Secretary of Health and Human Services. under the terms of my amendment. will develop and implement alternative projects for refugees. The amendment imposes a March 31. 1985. deadline for submission of a report to Congress "on the results of these projects and on recommendations respecting changes in the refugee assistance program" to allow an opportunity to take appropriate action when we consider a refugee reauthorization bill in the 99th Congress. My hope and expectation is that when a range of alternatives to welfare is evaluated. we will have the essential information to make critically needed changes in our resettlement program. H.R. 3729 also includes an amendment offered by Mr. McCo.LUM of Florida that authorizes compensation to states and counties for incarcerationrelated expenses of Cubans allowed by the Attorney General to enter in 1980. That year the United States confronted an unprecedented. sudden. mass migration from Mariel Harbor. Cuba: 125.000 people reached our shores without having undergone the screening and processing outside this country that our law requires for both immigrants and refugees. Although most of the Mariel Migrants were lawabiding people. others were inmates of Cuban prisons who had been encouraged or forced by Castro to leave Cuba. Some States and counties have born a heavy financial burden for the confinement in prisons of Mariel Cubans convicted of violations of State and country laws committed after entry. This legislation reflects the thoughtful work of the gentleman from Kentucky. Mr. MAZZOLI. chairman of the Subcommittee on Immigration. Refugees. and International Law. and the gentleman from California Mr. LNGREN. the subcommittees ranking minority member. Chairman RODINO. a leader in refugee matters for many years. presided during our full Committee markup. I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 3729 because it will permit the United States to respondmore appropriately than in the pastto the needs of refugees in this country. The bill. in my judgment. will reduce the financial burden of refugee restettlement and help refugees function independently and productively in American communities.