We passed the lawI was a member of the subcommittee at that timeto get away from the ad hoc. countrybycountry determination that had been done in previous administrations. both Republican and Democrat. Invariably. it happened for political reasons. Our whole purpose in establishing the 1980 Refugee Act was to. No. 1. accept the international standard as we expanded the basis under which people could come into this country as refugees. but second. not to have a countrybycountry determination made by whatever administration happened to be in office. We felt then that there ought to be a continuing law that prevailed. We are going against that with this legislation. This is specialinterest legislation. It blows up what we did last year with the immigration bill. It blows up what we did with the Refugee Act of 1980. it opens the door to ad hoc legislation in the future to whichever group comes forward and says. "We have a specific need that is not being met by the international definition of refugees." I think it is a major mistake. What we did 8 years ago with the Refugee Act. what we did last year with the immigration bill was important. Do not destroy what we did then. Support the rule. it is an open rule.
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Refugee immigration refugees