How would we cope financially? Let me finish and I will yield to my friend. How will our Nation cope financially with supporting 7 to 9 million potential refugees? What would the cost be? The State Department says that the average cost to support an individual refugee is $3.500 to $4.500. Some of them get on their feet financially. others do not. But the average is $3.500 to $4.500. This includes living. eating. and medical expenses and it includes revenues from State as well as Federal sources. The possible costs are astronomical and if you take the figures of $3.500. a conservative figure. per refugee and multiply it times the conservative 8 percent normal refugee pattern. you would have a refugee price tag for the American taxpayer if the country of El Salvador fell could total a $1 billion expenditure. And if one uses the higher estimates of 10 percent normal refugee pattern. and a $4.500 per refugee then you are talking about a potential $40 billion expenditure for all of these refugees coming into the country. The point of all this is. and I will yield when I am through here. the point of it is there are a lot of questions left unanswered. a lot of consideration we have not given to the refugee problem. And I think it goes to the heart of many of the amendments we have pending. The BolandSolarz amendment would encourage refugees fleeing this area. Now the only sensible amendment that would. I think. recognize the refugee issue are the various symmetry amendments. Mr. MICA and Mr. YoUNGs amendments. because they say we will not cut off this aid unless they cut off their aid and we are not going to see this massive migration pattern develop. But we need to ask ourselves as we debate the issues of Central America. are the taxpayers of the United States willing to spend $25 to $40 billion to support 7 to 9 million refugees that would be fleeing into our country? That is a question we have to concentrate on and the consequences of that have never really been discussed. Who is to pay the bill? Can we cope with such a large influx of refugees? I think these are issues that are serious and need to be debated and discussed as we talk about the entire Central American area. This is not an amendment or suggestion that refugees are good or bad people or what part of the country they come from. or the color of their skin. the question is 7 to 9 million people coming into the United States as a consequence of our action or inaction dealing with this particular bill here on the floor of the House.
Keywords matched
refugee refugees