I add my thanks to the Senator from Iowa for his leadership in support of the refugee program. I appreciate the clarification he has offered in response to the distinguished ranking member of the Appropriations Committee. I also have a question for the subcommittee chairman. In the conference report. the conferees address concerns about the program shift as the Office of Refugee Resettlement proceeds with its privatization initiative. Clearly. at some point the States need to know whether they will continue to administer the cash and medical assistance portion of the refugee program. Already the target date for implementing the Private Refugee Program [PRP] has been pushed back until February. Everyone agrees that a certain point in the fiscal year exists after which excessive drawdowns will make privatization impossible during fiscal year 1993. My concern is that ORR will notify States of its intent to switch to the PRP before all the details have been worked out. If so. the great possibility exists that we will expect the State to take responsibility for continuing to administer the entire refugee program through the end of the fiscal year. without allowing them sufficient notice. Therefore. I am seeking assurance that ORR must provide ample advance notice before terminating the current programs. which are principally run by the States and localities.
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