[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 239 (Wednesday, December 11, 1996)]
[Presidential Documents]
[Pages 65147-65148]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-31598]


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  Federal Register / Vol. 61, No. 239 / Wednesday, December 11, 1996 / 
Presidential Documents  

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 Title 3--
 The President

[[Page 65147]]

                Presidential Determination No. 97-8 of November 27, 
                1996

                
Determination Pursuant to Section 2(c)(1) of the 
                Migration and Refugee Assistance Act of 1962, as 
                Amended

                Memorandum for the Secretary of State

                Pursuant to section 2(c)(1) of the Migration and 
                Refugee Assistance Act of 1962, as amended, 22 U.S.C. 
                2601(c)(1), I hereby determine that it is important to 
                the national interest that up to $15 million be made 
                available from the United States Emergency Refugee and 
                Migration Assistance Fund to meet the urgent and 
                unexpected needs of refugees and migrants. These funds 
                may be used to meet the urgent and unexpected needs of 
                refugees, victims of conflict, and other persons at 
                risk in and from northern Iraq. These funds may be used 
                on a multilateral or bilateral basis as appropriate to 
                provide contributions to international organizations, 
                private voluntary organizations, governments, and other 
                governmental and nongovernmental agencies. These funds 
                may be used as reimbursement for expenses already 
                incurred by the Department of State for these purposes 
                and to pay related Department of State administrative 
                expenses.

                You are authorized and directed to inform the 
                appropriate committees of the Congress of this 
                determination and the obligation of funds under this 
                authority and to publish this memorandum in the Federal 
                Register.

                    (Presidential Sig.)

                THE WHITE HOUSE,

                    Washington, November 27, 1996.

[[Page 65148]]

                Justification for Presidential Determination 
                Authorizing the Use of up to $15,000,000 From the 
                United States Emergency Refugee and Migration 
                Assistance Fund

                Under section 2(c)(1) of the Migration and Refugee 
                Assistance Act of 1962, as amended, 22 U.S.C. 2601(c) 
                (1), the President may authorize the furnishing of 
                assistance from the United States Emergency Refugee and 
                Migration Assistance Fund (the Fund) to meet 
                ``unexpected urgent refugee and migration'' needs 
                whenever he determines it is ``important to the 
                national interest'' to do so. The President may furnish 
                assistance and make contributions under this act 
                notwithstanding any provisions of law which restrict 
                assistance to foreign countries.

                Between September 14 and September 18 the U.S. 
                facilitated the evacuation of approximately 2,100 
                Kurdish employees of the U.S. Government and their 
                dependents (Quick Transit I) who were considered to be 
                at risk due to their close association with the U.S. 
                Government. A second group has been evacuated. Due to 
                the recent expansion of the Iraqi Government security 
                presence in Northern Iraq, there are other persons who 
                may need to be evacuated.

                A drawdown from the Fund of up to $15,000,000 is 
                required to respond to these unexpected urgent refugee 
                and migration needs related to the crisis in Northern 
                Iraq. These funds may be used as reimbursement for 
                expenses already incurred by the Department of State 
                for these purposes and to pay related Department of 
                State administrative expenses. These funds also may be 
                used to provide contributions to international 
                organizations, private voluntary organizations, 
                governments, and other governmental and non-
                governmental agencies. The need for these funds is 
                urgent and was not foreseen in the appropriation and 
                programming of the FY 1997 Migration and Refugee 
                Assistance funds.

                This drawdown furthers the U.S. national interest by 
                providing humanitarian support where it is urgently 
                needed.

[FR Doc. 96-31598
Filed 12-10-96; 8:45 am]
Billing code 4710-10-M