TNAG-0884-FCO40-1094-Refugees-from-Vietnam-in-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-boat-people-1979 — Page 7

FOREIGN OPERATIONS SUBCOMMITTEE SENATE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE

APRIL 26, 1979

HKK3Y

me focus for a moment on our refugee programs

RECEIVED IN REGKTITY NO.

10 MAY 1979

in particular.

We have begun to replace the existing patchwork ricik

INDEX

PA

of laws and programs with a more coherent and Aquitabfo.s

framework for refugee assistance and resettlement:

To provide better coordination and long-term

policy planning, the President has appointed former Senator Dick' Clark to the newly created post of Ambassador-at-Large and U.S. Coordinator for Refugee

Affairs.

the

We have worked closely with the Congress in developing a comprehensive legislative package

Refugee Act of 1979 which will give us a more realistic admissions policy and make all refugees eligible for certain basic kinds of assistance

once they arrive in this country.

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And I have decided to consolidate all overseas refugee functions in a new directorate in the State Iepartment, including African programs now in AID; Middle East programs now handled by the International . (rganizations Bureau; and the Indochinese, Eastern

I urope and other programs now in the Bureau of Human Rights and Humanitarian Affairs.

The new directorate

will report to Ambassador Clark and will provide

strong, centralized planning and management for these important programs.

As yo seď po bers cf refugees from Indochina and

are aware, because of the vastly in-

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