Speech #990050260

This is a position endorsed by the administration and. not surprisingly. opposed by delegations of my colleagues from States which benefit from the Federal dollars targeted assistance distributes into their economy. I take the view that we cannot responsibly examine Federal expenditures such as targeted assistance in isolation. Refugees are a different kind of immigrant because we accept them in addition to the roughly 500.000 people who enter the United States under normal immigration procedures every year. They require special attention and activate obligations on the part of the Federal Government. We have attempted to meet the unique needs in this bill. In my judgment. though. $50 million in targeted assistance should not be included. If we are to justify specific Federal funds for States and localities which are heavily impacted by the presence of refugees. then what will we. do if extended voluntarily departure for Salvadorans is eventually adopted? Ironically. many of the same people who opposed this amendment in the full Judiciary Committee are also sponsors of H.R. 822. a bill which would legalize the status of an estimated onehalf million Salvadorans already in this country. thereby making them. as a class. eligible for public assistance. I would like to ask my colleagues on the floor. as I indicated I would in my dissenting view contained in the committee report. to give the House the benefit of their estimate of the cost of EVD for Salvadorans.