President Bush has authorized as much as
$15 million to be used to assist refugees in the event of a possible humanitarian
emergency that could arise if military force is needed to disarm Iraq of
its weapons of mass destruction, according to a White House statement released
January 30.
Following is the text of the statement:
(begin text)
THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
January 30, 2003
January 29, 2003
Presidential Determination No. 2003-13
MEMORANDUM FOR THE SECRETARY OF STATE
SUBJECT: Determination Pursuant to Section 2(c)(1) of the Migration and Refugee Assistance Act of 1962, as Amended
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 U.S. Emergency Refugee and Migration Assistance Fund to meet unexpected urgent refugee and migration needs that would be anticipated in the event of a future humanitarian emergency in the Middle East, to include contingency planning for such needs. Such an emergency may arise if it becomes necessary for the United States and other nations to use military force to disarm the Iraqi regime of its weapons of mass destruction. These funds may be used, as appropriate, to provide contributions to international, governmental, and nongovernmental organizations, as well as for administrative expenses to manage contingency planning by the Department of State's Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration.
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 arrange for the publication of this memorandum in the Federal Register.
GEORGE W. BUSH
(end text)
(Distributed by the Office of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)