Speech #990150005

DC. DEAR MR. PRESIDENT: We have completed the consultative process mandated by P.L. 96212. the Refugee Act of 1980. with regard to refugee admissions and allocations for FY 1986 as recommended by you in your memorandum dated September 10. 1985 to Ambassador H. Eugene Douglas. U.S. Coordinator for Refugee Affairs. The proposal. as transmitted to us on the same date. provides for a ceiling of 70.000 refugees allocated as follows: 48.500 for East Asia. 9.500 for the Soviet Union/Eastern Europe. 6.000 for the Near East/South Asia. 3.000 for Africa and 3.000 for Latin AmerIca/Caribbean. and an additional 5.000 refugee admission numbers which shall be made available for the adjustment to permanent residence of certain qualified aliens. We are pleased to advise you that we interpose no objections to the number and allocations as recommended. We believe. however. that no reallocation of refugee numbers between regions should take place during the fiscal year without notifying the Committee on the Judiciary sufficiently in advance to permit an expression of an opinion should it be deemed advisable. We are concerned about two financial aspects of the FY 1986 refugee admissions program: one. the proposed action to be taken (contrary to the position of tie House of Representatives) regarding the Matching Grant Program administered by the Office of Refugee Resettlement of the Department of Health and Human Services. and two. the effect of the Appropriations Committees action in cutting $45 million from the refugee resettlement program. We urge that tile reductions (per capita and total funding) in the Matching Grant Program as proposed by the Administration be suspended until completion of Congressional consideration of the refugee reauthorization legislation. The Judiciary Committee and the full House of Representatives have recognized the importance of this program and. as a result. recently recommended against any funding reduction (See. 7 of H.R. 1452. as passed by the House of Representatives on June 13. 1985). With regard to the overall budget. we believe it is incumbent upon the Administration to take all necessary action to provide adequate funds to finance the refugee admissions program ultimately decided upon by you in consultation with the Congress. If adequate funding is not available through the regular appropriations process and if the reprogramming of funds is not a viable alternative. we would expect the Administration to submit to the Congress a supplemental budget request for any additional appropriations which may be necessary to fund the refugee admissions program which you determine for FY 1986. As in the past. the Committee would appreciate being kept informed on a monthly basis with regard to the progress of the FY 1986 refugee admissions program. We wish to convey our thanks to Secretary of State Shultz. the U.S. Coordinator for Refugees and the representatives of the Departments of State. Justice and Health and Human Services for their cooperation and assistance In this consultative process. Sincerely.