INDOCHINESE REFUGEE RESETTLEMENT.

SEC. 904. INDOCHINESE REFUGEE RESETTLEMENT. (a) Findings.— It is the sense of the Congress that— (1) the continued occupation of Cambodia by Vietnam and the oppressive conditions within Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos have led to a steady flight of persons from those countries, and the likelihood for the safe repatriation of the hundreds of thousands of refugees in the region’s camps is negligible for the foreseeable future; (2) the United States has already played a major role in responding to the Indochinese refugee problem by accepting approximately 850,000 Indochinese refugees into the United States since 1975 and has a continued interest in persons who have fled and continue to flee the countries of Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam; (3) Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, the Philippines, and Thailand have been the front line countries bearing tremendous burdens caused by the flight of these persons; (4) all members of the international community bear a share of the responsibility for the deterioration in the refugee first asylum situation in Southeast Asia because of slow and limited procedures, failure to implement effective policies for the region’s “long-stayer” populations, failure to monitor adequately refugee protection and screening programs, particularly along the Thai-Cambodian and Thai-Laotian borders, and the instability of the Orderly Departure Program (ODP) from Vietnam which has served as the only safe, legal means of departure from Vietnam for refugees, including Amerasians and long-held “reeducation camp” prisoners; (5) the Government of Thailand should be complemented for allowing the United States to process ration card holders in Khao I Dang and potentially qualified immigrants in Site 2 and in Khao I Dang; (6) given the serious protection problem in Southeast Asian first asylum countries and the need to preserve first asylum in the region, the United States should continue its commitment to an ongoing, generous admission and protection program for Indochinese refugees, including urgently needed educational programs for refugees along the Thai-Cambodian and Thai-Laotian borders, until the underlying causes of refugee flight are addressed and resolved; (7) the executive branch should seek adequate funding levels to meet United States policy objectives to ensure the well-being of Indochinese refugees in first asylum, and to process 29,500 Indochinese refugees within the overall refugee admissions level of 68,000 as determined by the President; and (8) the Government of Thailand should be complimented for the progress that has been made in implementing an effective antipiracy program. (b) Recommendations.— The Congress finds and recommends the following with respect to Indochinese refugees: (1) The Secretary of State should urge the Government of Thailand to allow full access by highland refugees to the Lao Screening Program, regardless of the method of their arrival or the circumstances of their apprehension, and should intensify 101 STAT. 1403its efforts to persuade the Government of Laos to accept the safe return of persons rejected under the Lao Screening Program. (2) Refugee protection and monitoring activities should be expanded along the Thai-Laotian border in an effort to identify and report on incidents of refugees forcibly repatriated into Laos. (3) The Secretary of State should urge the Government of Thailand to address immediately the problems of protection associated with the Khmer along the Thai-Cambodian border. The Government of Thailand, along with appropriate international relief agencies, should develop and implement a plan to provide for greater security and protection for the Khmer at the Thai border. (4) The international community should increase its efforts to assure that Indochinese refugee camps are protected, that refugees have access to a free market at Site 2, and that international observers and relief personnel are present on a 24-hour-a-day basis at Site 2 and any other camp where it is deemed necessary. (5) The Secretary of State should make every effort to identify each person at Site 2 who may qualify for admission to the United States as an immigrant and for humanitarian parole. (6) The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees should be pressed to upgrade staff presence and the level of advocacy to revive the international commitment with regard to the problems facing Indochinese refugees in the region, and to pursue voluntary repatriation possibilities in cases where monitoring is available and the safety of the refugees is assured. (c) Allocations of Refugee Admissions.— Given the existing connection between ongoing resettlement and the preservation of first asylum, the United States and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees should redouble efforts to assure a stable and secure environment for refugees while dialog is pursued on other long-range solutions, it is the sense of the Congress that— (1) within the worldwide refugee admissions ceiling determined by the President, the President should continue to recommend generous numbers of admissions from East Asia first asylum camps and from the Orderly Departure Program sufficient to sustain preservation of first asylum and security for Indochinese in Southeast Asia, consistent with worldwide refugee admissions requirements and the consultative processes of the Refugee Act of 1980; (2) within the allocation made by the President for the Orderly Departure Program from Vietnam, the number of admissions allocated for Amerasians and their immediate family members should also be generous; (3) renewed international efforts must be taken to address the problem of Indochinese refugees who have lived in camps for 3 years or longer; and (4) the Secretary of State should urge the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees to organize immediately an international conference to address the problems of Indochinese refugees. (d) Reporting.— The President shall submit a report to Congress within 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act on the respective roles of the Immigration and Naturalization Service and 101 STAT. 1404the Department of State in the refugee program with recommendations for improving the effectiveness and efficiency of the program.