We had a major debate in this country last year on welfare reform. We. I think. properly cut back on the benefit levels that we were going to provide for immigrants. I do not think that our immigration policy ought to be used as a substitute for an international welfare policy. But refugees are a far different matter. Refugees come to this country. whether they came to this country because they were Russian Jews escaping the Soviet Union or whether they came to this country because they were Hmong refugees who fought and bled and died to help our GIs in Vietnam and in Laos and lost their country because of it. When those refugees come to this country. they come to this country not because a local government or a State government has asked them to but because the Federal Government has told them to come. We have cut back aid to refugees when they come to this country from the first 36 months that they live here to 8 months. The gentlemans amendment would cut that back some more. I want to talk to my colleagues for a moment about one group of refugees who I do not think we should be savaging by the gentlemans amendment. That is the Hmong. That is spelled Hmong.
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refugees immigrants Refugees immigration