Speech #1010038228

President. I am again pleased to join with my colleague. Senator KENNEDY. the chairman of the Subcommittee on Immigration and Refugee Affairs. in Introducing the Refugee Resettlement Extension Act of 1989. This bill would reauthorize funds for the Domestic Refugee Resettlement Program for fiscal years 1990 through 1992. It sets in motion the funding process for the programs that Congress has provided to ensure that newly arriving refugees are integrated into our communities. provided with language and vocational training. and helped along the path toward economic selfsufficiency. The legislation is nearly identical to legislation that passed the Senate Judiciary Committee unanimously in the 100th Congress. but which the full Senate failed to act upon. Such sums as are necessary are authorized for the expenses incurred by State governments in providing cash and medical assistance to refugees who have recently arrived in our country. $80 million are authorized for social services to refugees. $10 million are authorized for medical screening of refugees. and such sums as are necessary are authorized to reimburse State and local governments for their costs incurred from the incarceration of criminal aliens who arrived in the Mariel boatlift. The legislation attempts to place. on a more parallel track. the refugee admissions process and the budget process for refugee resettlement activities. New provisions would require early estimates of likely refugee admissions for the coming fiscal year. and would require submission by the executive branch of the estimated budget authority needed to resettle refugees when the annual refugee consultation process is being conducted. Finally. the bill would encourage "private sector initiatives" in refugee resettlement. grant the Director of the Office of Refugee Resettlement the authority to make discretionary grants to impacted areas for provision of nonemploymentrelated services to refugees. and make changes to promote the efficiency of the administration of the Refugee Resettlement Program. Mr. President. it is always a pleasure to work with my friend. Senator KENNEDY. on these important immigration and refugee issues. I thank him for his unfailing courtesies to me and bipartisan cooperation on this matter. and I urge my colleagues to support the legislation. By Mr.