[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 239 (Wednesday, December 11, 1996)]
[Presidential Documents]
[Pages 65147-65148]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-31598]
Presidential Documents
Federal Register / Vol. 61, No. 239 / Wednesday, December 11, 1996 /
Presidential Documents
___________________________________________________________________
Title 3--
The President
[[Page 65147]]
Presidential Determination No. 97-8 of November 27,
1996
Determination Pursuant to Section 2(c)(1) of the
Migration and Refugee Assistance Act of 1962, as
Amended
Memorandum for the Secretary of State
Pursuant to section 2(c)(1) of the Migration and
Refugee Assistance Act of 1962, as amended, 22 U.S.C.
2601(c)(1), I hereby determine that it is important to
the national interest that up to $15 million be made
available from the United States Emergency Refugee and
Migration Assistance Fund to meet the urgent and
unexpected needs of refugees and migrants. These funds
may be used to meet the urgent and unexpected needs of
refugees, victims of conflict, and other persons at
risk in and from northern Iraq. These funds may be used
on a multilateral or bilateral basis as appropriate to
provide contributions to international organizations,
private voluntary organizations, governments, and other
governmental and nongovernmental agencies. These funds
may be used as reimbursement for expenses already
incurred by the Department of State for these purposes
and to pay related Department of State administrative
expenses.
You are authorized and directed to inform the
appropriate committees of the Congress of this
determination and the obligation of funds under this
authority and to publish this memorandum in the Federal
Register.
(Presidential Sig.)
THE WHITE HOUSE,
Washington, November 27, 1996.
[[Page 65148]]
Justification for Presidential Determination
Authorizing the Use of up to $15,000,000 From the
United States Emergency Refugee and Migration
Assistance Fund
Under section 2(c)(1) of the Migration and Refugee
Assistance Act of 1962, as amended, 22 U.S.C. 2601(c)
(1), the President may authorize the furnishing of
assistance from the United States Emergency Refugee and
Migration Assistance Fund (the Fund) to meet
``unexpected urgent refugee and migration'' needs
whenever he determines it is ``important to the
national interest'' to do so. The President may furnish
assistance and make contributions under this act
notwithstanding any provisions of law which restrict
assistance to foreign countries.
Between September 14 and September 18 the U.S.
facilitated the evacuation of approximately 2,100
Kurdish employees of the U.S. Government and their
dependents (Quick Transit I) who were considered to be
at risk due to their close association with the U.S.
Government. A second group has been evacuated. Due to
the recent expansion of the Iraqi Government security
presence in Northern Iraq, there are other persons who
may need to be evacuated.
A drawdown from the Fund of up to $15,000,000 is
required to respond to these unexpected urgent refugee
and migration needs related to the crisis in Northern
Iraq. These funds may be used as reimbursement for
expenses already incurred by the Department of State
for these purposes and to pay related Department of
State administrative expenses. These funds also may be
used to provide contributions to international
organizations, private voluntary organizations,
governments, and other governmental and non-
governmental agencies. The need for these funds is
urgent and was not foreseen in the appropriation and
programming of the FY 1997 Migration and Refugee
Assistance funds.
This drawdown furthers the U.S. national interest by
providing humanitarian support where it is urgently
needed.
[FR Doc. 96-31598
Filed 12-10-96; 8:45 am]
Billing code 4710-10-M
