Mr. Speaker. on July 13. 1989. I voted "nay" on rollcall vote 139 that creates a presumption of refugee status for Soviet Jews. Pentecostals. and Indochinese. The United States has in place a law that Is fair. carefully balanced. and uniform In Its application. I am referring to the Refugee Act of 1980Public Law 96212. Passage of H.R. 2022 sets a dangerous precedent of favoring certain emigres over other persecuted. equally deserving emigres. By passing this legislation. Members of Congress are selectively making a determination that certain groups of people are more persecuted than others. thus deserving of preferential treatment for admittance to the United States. Not only Is H.R. 2022 unfair. but It is unnecessary. Pursuant to the 1980 Refugee Act. the President determined. In consultation with the Congress. that 24.500 refugees from Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union could be admitted Into the U.S. In fiscal year 1989. In response to more liberal emigration policies of the Soviet Union and the surge of Soviet refugees seeking safe haven in the U.S.. the President Increased the number of Soviet and East European refugee admittances to 50.000. Of those 50.000. 43.500 are reserved for Soviet refugees. Clearly. the administration has taken appropriate action within the guide. lines of the law. My objection to H.R. 2022 is not the result. but the process.
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Refugee refugee emigration refugees