In many instances. the administrations requests were fully funded. However. in some important respects. priorities were reordered. As the chairman of the committee has previously indicated. the authorization for migration and refugee assistance was increased by $110 million to a total of $600 million. It takes only a cursory look at the worldwide refugee situation to determine that the administrations fiscal year 1992 request-$490 millionis nowhere near enough to meet the needs. This request was based on an estimate of 15.7 million refugees. In the intervening months since the State Departments budget was prepared. conflicts in Liberia. Somalia. Iraq. and elsewhere have caused a dramatic increase in the number of refugees. Today. there are an estimated 18.2 million refugees. Clearly. the needs of these additional refugees need to be addressed and the committee has sought to do that through its higher authorization level. The Foreign Relations Committee traditionally has been a strong proponent of international exchanges. In keeping with that tradition. the committee not only fully funded the administrations fiscal year 1992 request for exchanges but also restored the $2.7 million cut made by USIAfor budgetary purposes--for exchanges in Africa.
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refugee refugees