[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 132 (Monday, September 29, 1997)]
[House]
[Pages H8061-H8062]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 AUTHORIZING APPROPRIATIONS FOR REFUGEE AND ENTRANT ASSISTANCE, FISCAL 
                          YEARS 1998 AND 1999

  Mr. SMITH of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass 
the Senate bill (S. 1161), to amend the Immigration and Nationality Act 
to authorize appropriations for refugee and entrant assistance for 
fiscal years 1998 and 1999.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                                S. 1161

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS FOR REFUGEE AND 
                   ENTRANT ASSISTANCE.

       (a) Authorization of Appropriations.--Section 414(a) of the 
     Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1524(a)) is amended 
     by striking ``fiscal year 1995, fiscal year 1996, and fiscal 
     year 1997'' and inserting ``each of fiscal years 1998 and 
     1999''.
       (b) Effective Date.--The amendment made by subsection (a) 
     shall take effect October 1, 1997.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Texas [Mr. Smith] and the gentleman from California [Mr. Condit] each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Texas [Mr. Smith].


                             General Leave

  Mr. SMITH of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all 
Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks 
on the bill under consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Texas?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. SMITH of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the Senate bill, S. 1161, as passed 
by the Senate, and urge my colleagues to support it.
  S. 1161 simply reauthorizes refugee resettlement funds for 2 years. 
The language ``such sums as are necessary'' allows the Committee on 
Appropriations to adjust the funds available, based upon the number of 
refugees resettled in the United States for fiscal years 1998 and 1999.
  While I hope that the number of refugees being settled in the United 
States declines in the upcoming years, I also hope that those refugees 
who need to be resettled in the United States have programs available 
to help ease them into the American way of life.
  Since the existence of several programs hinge on enactment of 
reauthorization of the programs, passage of this bill is necessary. I 
urge the adoption of the bill.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  [Mr. CONDIT asked and was given permission to revise and extend his 
remarks.)
  Mr. CONDIT. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the bill on behalf of the gentleman 
from North Carolina [Mr. Watt], and urge its passage. This is another 
bipartisan piece of legislation that the gentleman from Texas [Mr. 
Smith] has managed and we urge its adoption.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Ohio [Mr. 
Traficant].
  Mr. TRAFICANT. Mr. Speaker, I want to commend and compliment the 
gentleman from Texas [Mr. Smith] and I want to compliment the gentleman 
from California [Mr. Condit], who has been an outspoken leader in many 
areas; responsible for the Blue Dogs in this Congress, has helped to 
fashion some important policy changes, and I want to personally thank 
him on behalf of the American people for some of his efforts.
  I rise on a different issue, and I do not want to belabor and take a 
lot of time, Mr. Speaker. What I have to talk about is very important. 
Albanian Prime Minister Nano is in Washington today. I want to warn my 
colleagues, I want to warn this committee, I want to warn this Congress 
and I want to warn this Government about the serious problems in 
Albania.
  There was recently an assassination attempt on one of the prominent 
members of the democratic party in Albania. Nano's socialist government 
has denied freedom of speech, freedom of the press, freedom of 
assembly. In Macedonia the rights of ethnic Albanians are literally 
being trampled upon. They are being treated like cattle, treated like 
dogs. Families are in misery. It is unbelievable. And through all of 
this, our Government has actually remained silent.
  I want to let this Congress know that the silence in America is 
deafening in Albania and deafening to the free people throughout our 
world. Unbelievable to me. It is time for the United States of America 
to make it clear to Prime Minister Nano that we will not tolerate or 
stand by while Albanians are being systematically abused and 
persecuted. The message must be loud, the message must be consistent, 
the message must be clear: Let there be no mistake. Nano's socialist 
party is the old Communist Party, and they have destroyed the rights of 
Albanian people for years and years. The legacy speaks for itself.
  The United States should offer no aid. The United States should offer 
no solace to this Nano government who has repeatedly demonstrated a 
lack of respect for rights and a willingness to abuse the Albanian 
people.
  I will today, on the Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, and State, 
the Judiciary and Related Agencies appropriation bill, seek a colloquy 
and look for report language directing policy to this issue. I thank 
the gentleman for his leadership that has provided freedom for many 
people throughout the world, and I ask for the gentleman's support in 
my effort with the gentleman from Kentucky [Mr. Rogers], chairman of 
the Subcommittee on

[[Page H8062]]

Commerce, Justice, State and Judiciary of the Committee on 
Appropriations.
  With that, I thank the gentleman for allowing me this time. It is 
unusual for me to speak out, but I have become aware of this through a 
very good friend and former Member, Joseph DiGarde. This is a tragedy, 
this is a shame, this is a human rights concern beyond reproach, and 
Congress must not allow this deafening silence throughout the world.
  Mr. CONDIT. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Once again, I urge the House to pass the bill. It is a bipartisan 
approach. I must say that I appreciate the kind words of the gentleman 
from Ohio [Mr. Traficant]. He says that rarely does he speak out, but 
he can always be counted on to speak out and do what is right for this 
country. I think he is a great American and I appreciate his efforts 
and all he has done for this House and for this country.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. SMITH of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Texas [Mr. Smith] that the House suspend the rules and 
pass the Senate bill, S. 1161.
  The question was taken.
  Mr. CONDIT. Mr. Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground that a 
quorum is not present and make the point of order that a quorum is not 
present.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 5 of rule I and the 
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be 
postponed.
  The point of no quorum is considered withdrawn.

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