Mark Hatfield: “as my colleagues know, I have long been an advocate for refugees around the world. Having just returned from Southeast…”

“as my colleagues know, I have long been an advocate for refugees around the world. Having just returned from Southeast Asia, I feel reinforced in my commitment to the refugee cause. Thus, I rise today to voice my concerns about the reorganization of the Bureau for Refugee Programs which is included in the authorization bill before us. The State Department's reorganization plan creates a new Assistant Secretary position to head the new Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration. It abolishes the position of the Ambassador at Large and Coordinator for Refugee Affairs, and transfers the responsibilities of the coordinator for population affairs to this new Bureau. While I am a strong supporter of population programs, I am concerned that by combining population, refugees and migration, the emphasis on refugees will be diminished. The Bureau for Refugee Programs was created in 1979 when it became apparent that refugee affairs were not getting the focus needed under the combined Bureau of Human Rights and Humanitarian Affairs. Since 1979, this Bureau has served to highlight the critical importance of overseas refugee assistance and U.S. admissions, and has for years been the central advocate for humane and effective refugee policies. I am concerned that this new combination with population policy will lessen the visibility of a Bureau that has played a critical role in operating the refugee program.”