John Shaw: “Mr. Chairman, this is money that has already been earmarked. South Florida has been pelted with the burden of caring for…”

“Mr. Chairman, this is money that has already been earmarked. South Florida has been pelted with the burden of caring for so many of these people that are coming onto our shores. Even as we speak tonight, more and more people are being awarded visas with the deal that the Clinton administration made with the Castro people in order to try to stop the flow of refugees into this country. They come into Florida and they stay in Florida. We all know well about the exodus that we have had from Haiti. Regardless of where Members come down on this particular issue, we know that they remain in south Florida, and they become the burden of the taxpayers in south Florida. This money was earmarked. It should stay earmarked. I think we, in the Congress, are really starting a dangerous precedent if we start looking around the country and find out where certain moneys have been, and then start getting into raiding these particular funds. Believe me, Florida is not coming out on this deal at all. It is costing us much more in health care, social services, than we are getting from the Federal Government. I urge a "no" vote on the Dreier amendment.”