Memorandum on Determination Pursuant to Section 2(c)(1) of the Migration and Refugee Assistance Act of 1962, as Amended

Presidential Determination No. 97-8

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 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.

WILLIAM J. CLINTON

THE WHITE HOUSE,

Washington, November 27, 1996.

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.