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Overseas funding support for refugees falls short of needs...
Maintain 2005 funding for Migration and Refugee Assistance (MRA) and Emergency Refugee and Migration Assistance (ERMA)
4/14/2004
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Issue
The Migration and Refugee Assistance Account (MRA), part of the Foreign Operations appropriations bill each year, funds overseas refugee assistance, including the physical and legal protection of refugees and the provision of food, shelter, health services, and other vital assistance. MRA also provides funding for the processing of refugees for admission to the United States and initial resettlement expenses.
The Bush Administration has requested a total of $730 million for MRA for FY 2005, while EMM and our colleague agencies has requested $927 million to meet overseas needs and to resettle refugees in the United States. $590 million would be used to provide overseas protection and assistance and $270 million would be used to resettle 90,000 refugees.
The Emergency Refugee and Migration assistance account (ERMA) is a no-year account that is used in order to meet unexpected urgent refugee emergencies. The Bush Administration has requested $20 million for FY 2005; EMM and our colleague agencies RCUSA has asked for an appropriation of $50 million.
Action Needed
Contact your Senator/Representative and ask them to support an appropriation of $927 million for MRA and $50 million for ERMA in the FY 2005 budget. These amounts will help meet the needs of refugees overseas and resettled in the United States. You can mail your letter to your representative at U.S. House of Representatives, Washington, D.C. 20515 and Senator at U.S. Senate, Washington, D.C. 20510. Fax numbers can be obtained by contacting 202-224-3121 and asking for the office of your Senator/Representative. Below is a sample letter:
Dear Senator/Representative:
I write to ask your support for a FY 2005 appropriation of $927 million for the Migration and Refugee Assistance account (MRA) and $50 million for the Emergency Migration and Refugee Assistance Account (ERMA) of the Foreign Operations Appropriations bill.
The MRA account provides overseas assistance, including the provision of physical and legal protection and basic needs assistance to needy refugees. It also provides initial costs for refugees resettled in the United States. The ERMA account is a no-year account which is used in refugee emergencies. We believe that $927 million and $50 million, respectively, will help meet the needs of refugees abroad and in the United States. These funding streams are crucial to maintaining the U.S. commitment to refugees around the world.
I ask that you support this level of funding for MRA and ERMA in the FY 2005 Foreign Operations appropriations bill.
Sincerely,
Senate Appropriations Committee (* member Foreign Operations subcommittee)
(**member Labor-HHS subcommittee)
| Republicans |
Democrats |
| Ted Stevens, Alaska, Chair** |
Robert Byrd, WV |
| Thad Cochran, MISS** |
Daniel Inouye, HI** |
| Arlen Specter, PA.**(chair) |
Ernest Hollings, SC** |
| Pete Domenici, N.M. |
Patrick Leahy, VT.* |
| Christopher Bond, MO.* |
Tom Harkin, IA*/** |
| Mitch McConnell, KY* |
Barbara Mikulski, MD* |
| Conrad Burns, MT |
Harry Reid, NV** |
| Richard Shelby, AL*/** |
Herbert Kohl, WI** |
| Judd Gregg, NH*/** |
Patty Murray, WA** |
| Robert Bennett, Utah* |
Byron Dorgan, ND |
| Ben Nighthorse Campbell, CO* |
Dianne Feinstein, CA |
| Larry Craig, ID** |
Richard Durbin, IL* |
| Kay Bailey Hutchinson, TX** |
Tim Johnson, SD* |
| Mike DeWine, OH*/** |
Mary Landreiu, LA*/** |
| Sam Brownback, KS |
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House Appropriations Committee (* Foreign Operations subcommittee member)
(**Labor-HHS subcommittee member)
| Republicans |
Democrats |
| C.W. Bill Young, FL, Chair |
David R. Obey, WI, Rnk. Mem** |
| Ralph Regula, OH** (chair) |
John P. Murtha, PA |
| Jerry Lewis, CA* |
Norman D. Dicks, WA |
| Harold Rogers, KY |
Martin Olav Sabo, MN |
| Frank R. Wolf, VA |
Steny H. Hoyer, MD** |
| Jim Kolbe, AZ*(chair) |
Alan B. Mollohan, WV |
| James T. Walsh, NY |
Marcy Kaptur, OH* |
| Charles H. Taylor, NC |
Peter J. Visclosky, IN |
| David Hobson, OH |
Nita M. Lowey, NY*/** |
| Ernest Istook, Jr., OK** |
José E. Serrano, NY |
| Henry Bonilla, TX* |
Rosa DeLauro, CT** |
| Joseph Knollenberg, MI* |
James P. Moran, VA |
| Jack Kingston, GA |
John W. Oliver, MA |
| Rodney Frelinghuysen, NJ |
Ed Pastor, AZ |
| Roger Wicker, MS*/** |
David E. Price, NC |
| George R. Nethercutt, Jr., WA |
Chet Edwards, TX |
| Randy Cunningham, CA** |
Robert E. Cramer, Jr., AL |
| Todd Tiahrt, KS |
Patrick J. Kennedy, RI** |
| Zach Wamp, TN |
James Clyburn, SC |
| Tom Latham, IA |
Maurice Hinchey, NY |
| Anne M. Northup, KY** |
Lucille Roybal-Allard, CA** |
| Robert B. Aderholt, AL |
Sam Farr, CA |
| Jo Ann H. Emerson, MO |
Jesse Jackson, IL* |
| Kay Granger, TX** |
Carolyn C. Kilpatrick, MI* |
| John T. Doolittle, CA |
F. Allen Boyd, FL |
| Ray H. LaHood, IL |
Chaka Fattah, PA |
| John E. Sweeney, NY |
Steven R. Rothman, NJ* |
| David Vitter, LA* |
Sanford Bishop, Jr., GA |
| Don Sherwood, PA** |
Marion Berry, AR |
| Dave Weldon, FL** |
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| Mike Simpson, ID** |
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| John A. Culberson, TX |
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| Mark s. Kirk, IL* |
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| Ander Crenshaw, FL* |
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