Speech #1100071625

Latin Americas strongmen. and nations suffering from near total anarchy. Weve not discriminated at any time according to race. religion or politics. We have simply asked refugees to demonstrate that they would face violence or oppression at home for any of these reasons. and then made them welcome here in a new home. This is an important part of the American tradition. Unfortunately. refugees often arrive in this country with severe health problems or advanced age. Many of them have spent time in prison or in reeducation camps. Some. like the Hmong tribesmen who testified before our subcommittee. have shed their own blood in defense of American values or foreign policy and have been severely punished by their own governments for doing so. Often these health problems leave refugees with limited job prospects or ability to gain the skills necessary to compete for employment. This is particularly true of elderly refugees who may have difficulty learning English. As the chairman and ranking member have explained at length. under current law. these refugees lose their eligibility for SSI benefits. which is often their primary source of income. after theyve lived in the United States for 7 years. unless they become citizens. Unfortunately. between the now infamous bureaucracy at the State Department. the difficulties of learning English. and a cap on green cards for refugees. many of these individuals are unable. through no fault of their own. to complete the immigration process in the required 7 years. Mr. Speaker. we did not welcome these refugees to our shores only to see them starve in our streets. nor should we impose the burden of their support on local governments or private sector nonprofit organizations. I am extremely proud that many of these individuals have chosen to make their new homes in northwestern Pennsylvania. particularly my hometown of Erie. Pennsylvania. which enjoys a na3. Pt. 13 18549 tional reputation for welcoming refugees. But our local communities have very limited resources with which to assist large numbers of lowincome refugees. H.R. 2608 wisely recognizes the Federal nature of our obligation to help these people build a new life. It is compassionate yet responsible legislation. and I urge all of my colleagues to join me in a "yes" vote.