President. On March 23. the distinguished senior Senator from Oregon . spoke at the annual legislative briefing of IMPACT. an interdenominational action network of some 11.000 persons nationwide drawn from a wide range of churches and other religious groups. The subject of his remarks was the plight of the worlds refugees. whom he eloquently describes as "the castaways. the castoffs. the victims of governmental and social upheaval." people for whom the greatest danger. now as in the past. is "the indifference of the free world." summed up in the expression "compassion fatigue." Senator HATFIELDs own compassion for refugees is remarkably well established and it does not suffer from fatigue. I was pleased to join with him just 2 weeks ago as an original sponsor of S. 814. the Innovative Indochinese Refugee and Protection Act of 1987. which is currently circulating among us for additional sponsorship. The bill addresses the urgent need to do more to aid the refugees currently in first asylum in camps in Southeast Asia and those still arriving. particularly in Thailand. and to secure their status as refugees and prevent them from being returned against their will to unsafe border regions or to the Communist dominated countries from which they fled. I had the privilege of speaking to a smaller meeting of IMPACT here in Washington a few weeks ago. so I know first hand how fine a group it is. It is just the right audience for Senator HATFIELDS compelling remarks. because IMPACT is by its own definition composed of people who care. and care deeply. about those in needthe worlds refugees. and many others. I ask unanimous consent that the text of Senator HATFIELDS remarks at the IMPACT conference be inserted in the REcoRD.
Keywords matched
Refugee refugees