Mr. Chairman. we all know we cannot solve all of the worlds problems. There are over 40 million refugees and displaced persons in the world. We cannot accept more than a tiny number of them here in the United States. but we can at least keep our priorities right. In this case. those priorities are so obvious that my amendment has been endorsed by human rights organizations as diverse as the U.S. Committee for Refugees. the Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Services. the U.S. Catholic Conference. the Council of Jewish Federations. the Christian Coalition and the Family Research Council. The refugee budget has already absorbed real cuts this year. Mr. Chairman. both from inflation and from the dramatic decrease in the value of the dollar against European currencies. The money they are spending this year will buy 15 percent to 20 percent less overseas. less protection. less food. less water. fewer sanitary facilities than the same amount that we spent last year. We could not afford to raise the refugee budget not even to keep our own spending power even with last year. My amendment. let me remind everyone. does not add a penny to the budget. It simply prohibits a back door transfer that would fund $12 million of spending here in Washington.
Keywords matched
Immigration refugees Refugee refugee Refugees