Frank Lautenberg: “Mr. President, I think it is important to understand my supporting a 1-year extension of the law which facilitates the…”

“Mr. President, I think it is important to understand my supporting a 1-year extension of the law which facilitates the granting of refugee status for certain historically persecuted groups in the former Soviet Union and Indochina. The law expires at the end of fiscal year 1996 and is extended for 1 year in this bill. It has been renewed several times. As a matter of fact, the last time was in 1994, and that vote was decided by an 85-15 outcome. So we are looking at the same situation, very frankly. Existing law formally recognizes that historic experiences of certain persecuted religious minorities in the former Soviet Union and Indochina and a pattern of arbitrary denials of refugee status to members of these minorities entitles them to a relaxed standard of proof in determinations about whether they are refugees.”