[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 141 (Thursday, October 3, 1996)]
[Senate]
[Page S12292]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      ANNUAL REFUGEE CONSULTATION

  Mr. SIMPSON. Mr. President, in accordance with the Refugee Act of 
1980, I ask unanimous consent to have printed in the Record a copy of a 
letter to the President dated September 30, 1996, and signed by Senator 
Kennedy as ranking member and by me as chairman of the Subcommittee on 
Immigration of the Judiciary Committee, and a copy of Presidential 
Determination 96-59, concerning refugee admissions for fiscal year 
1997.
  There being no objection, the letter was ordered to be printed in the 
Record, as follows:

                                                      U.S. Senate,


                                   Committee on the Judiciary,

                               Washington, DC, September 30, 1996.
     The President,
     The White House,
     Washington, DC.
       Dear Mr. President: Under the provisions of the Refugee Act 
     of 1980, members of the Committee on the Judiciary have now 
     consulted with your representatives on the proposed admission 
     of refugees for Fiscal Year 1997.
       We note that refugee numbers continued a gradual downward 
     trend. We would comment that the 78,000 figure, while 
     technically correct as to refugee admissions, does not 
     reflect the Cuban entrants, who for all intents and purposes 
     are treated as refugees. We believe that it would be helpful 
     in future years if the reports of State, HHS, and INS 
     included information on the admission of Cuban--and other--
     entrants, as well as refugees. We believe that would provide 
     both a clearer and more realistic picture of the overall 
     admissions process.
       We are hopeful, as well, that next year's report will 
     include a discussion of refugee welfare dependence in its 
     ``analysis of the anticipated social, economic, and 
     demographic impact'' of proposed refugee admissions, and the 
     steps that are undertaken to move refugees to self-
     sufficiency.
       We want to congratulate the Administration on its role in 
     the successful completion of the Comprehensive Plan of 
     Action, and on the significant accomplishment in bringing 
     this historic program to an end. We believe that, after 20 
     years and 1.2 million persons resettled, the close of the 
     Southeast Asian and the Amerasian programs is appropriate, 
     and expect that the ``ROVR'' initiative, by which a number of 
     the remaining Vietnamese may be considered for U.S. 
     resettlement, will fit within the 10,000 numbers allocated to 
     Southeast Asia.
       We can foresee fast-moving refugee situations developing in 
     Bosnia and Iraq. We trust that the Administration will 
     maintain close contact with the Congress regarding its plans 
     in these areas. When significant numbers of former residents 
     return to Bosnia, for example, serious instability could 
     quickly ensue. Similarly, the situation in Iraq could change 
     dramatically at any moment. Such changes might necessitate 
     the use of Emergency Refugee and Migration Assistance (ERMA) 
     or other emergency measures.
       We commend the Administration for acting rapidly to move 
     2,100 Iraqis who have worked closely with this country and 
     the United Nations in northern Iraq out of harm's way. We 
     urge that the Administration consider the safety of those 
     Kurdish employees of American non-governmental organizations 
     working in Iraq.
       We share your commitment to strengthening U.S. refugee 
     admissions and assistance programs consistent with the 
     guiding principles set forth in the Refugee Act of 1980. We 
     continue to believe that the United States should do its 
     share in providing resettlement opportunities to true 
     refugees who cannot safely return home nor stay in the region 
     of first asylum. We strongly support the need to contribute 
     our fair share to life-saving assistance programs. Such 
     programs provide assistance to so many more refugees that the 
     resettlement of the much smaller numbers who have no other 
     option and are of special humanitarian concern to the United 
     States.
       We support your proposal for sufficient funds to provide 
     cash and medical assistance to eligible refugees during their 
     first eight months after arrival here.
       We concur with your proposal to admit 78,000 refugees in 
     FY97.
           Most sincerely,
     Edward M. Kennedy,
       Ranking Member, Subcommittee on Immigration.
     Alan K. Simpson,
       Chairman, Subcommittee on immigration.
                                                                    ____



                                              The White House,

                                   Washington, September 30, 1996.

                  Presidential Determination No. 96-59

     Memorandum for the Secretary of State:
     Subject: Presidential Determination on FY 1997 Refugee 
         Admissions Numbers and Authorizations of In-Country 
         Refugee Status Pursuant to Sections 207 and 101(a)(42), 
         Respectively, of the Immigration and Nationality Act, and 
         Determination Pursuant to Section 2(b)(2) of the 
         Migration and Refugee Assistance Act, as Amended.
       In accordance with section 207 of the Immigration and 
     Nationality Act (``the Act'') (8 U.S.C. 1157), as amended, 
     and after appropriate consultation with the Congress, I 
     hereby make the following determinations and authorize the 
     following actions: The admission of up to 78,000 refugees to 
     the United States during FY 1997 is justified by humanitarian 
     concerns or is otherwise in the national interest; provided, 
     however, that this number shall be understood as including 
     persons admitted to the United States during FY 1997 with 
     Federal refugee resettlement assistance under the Amerasian 
     immigrant admissions program, as provided below.
       The 78,000 funded admissions shall be allocated among 
     refugees of special humanitarian concern to the United States 
     as described in the documentation presented to the Congress 
     during the consultations that preceded this determination and 
     in accordance with the following regional allocations; 
     provided, however, that the number allocated to the East Asia 
     region shall include persons admitted to the United States 
     during FY 1997 with Federal with Federal refugee resettlement 
     assistance under section 584 of the Foreign Operations, 
     Export Financing and Related Programs Appropriations Act of 
     1988, as contained in section 101(e) of Public Law 100-202 
     (Amerasian immigrants and their family members); provided 
     further that the number allocated to the former Soviet Union 
     shall include persons admitted who were nationals of the 
     former Soviet Union, or in the case of persons having no 
     nationality, who were habitual residents of the former Soviet 
     Union, prior to September 2, 1991:

Africa............................................................7,000
East Asia........................................................10,000
Europe...........................................................48,000
Latin America/Caribbean...........................................4,000
Near East/South Asia..............................................4,000
Unallocated.......................................................5,000

       The 5,000 unallocated federally funded numbers shall be 
     allocated as needed. Unused admissions numbers allocated to a 
     particular region within the 78,000 federally funded ceiling 
     may be transferred to one or more other regions if there is 
     an overriding need for greater numbers for the region or 
     regions to which the numbers are being transferred. You are 
     hereby authorized and directed to consult with the Judiciary 
     Committees of the Congress prior to any such use of the 
     unallocated numbers or reallocation of numbers from one 
     region to another.
       Pursuant to section 2(b)(2) of the Migration and Refugee 
     Assistance Act of 1962, as amended, 22 U.S.C. 2601(b)(2), I 
     hereby determine that assistance to or on behalf of persons 
     applying for admission to the United States as part of the 
     overseas refugee admissions program will contribute to the 
     foreign policy interests of the United States and designate 
     such persons for this purpose.
       An additional 10,000 refugee admissions numbers shall be 
     made available during FY 1977 for the adjustment to permanent 
     resident status under section 209(b) of the Immigration and 
     Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1159(b)) of aliens who have been 
     granted asylum in the United States under section 208 of the 
     Act (8 U.S.C. 1158), as this is justified by humanitarian 
     concerns or is otherwise in the national interest.
       In accordance with section 101(a)(42)(B) of the Act (8 
     U.S.C. 1101(a)(42)) and after appropriate consultation with 
     the Congress, I also specify that, for FY 1997, the following 
     persons may, if otherwise qualified, be considered refugees 
     for the purpose of admission to the United States within 
     their countries of nationality or habitual residence:
       a. Persons in Vietnam
       b. Persons in Cuba
       c. Persons in the former Soviet Union
       You are authorized and directed to report this 
     determination to the Congress immediately and to publish it 
     in the Federal Register.
     William J. Clinton.

                          ____________________