I saw the news today about Congressman Gary Peters of Michigan having introduced a “reform” the Refugee Act bill at The Arab American News:
WASHINGTON - Congressman Gary Peters has announced a bill to reform the Refugee Act on its 31st anniversary. The Refugee Act helps assist political, ethnic and religious refugees around the world.
The system that distributes funds for refugees is out of date and inefficient according to a report released by Peter’s office. Refugee advocates have praised Peter’s legislation as an enormous step forward. In 2009 more than 2,300 Iraqi refugees were resettled in Michigan. Earlier this week Peters sent a letter to his colleagues in Congress urging them to support the new bill.
A little checking around produced not much. I didn’t even see mention of it at the Congressman’s website.
I checked MicEvHill.com but I gotta say that is the most confusing website I think I’ve ever seen, and couldn’t find anything there.
The best information I found was at Friends of Refugees and that just confirmed that Christopher Coen too couldn’t find much about it—calling it a “mysterious bill.”
Church World Service (one of the top federal contractors, don’t be mislead by that label Voluntary Agencies!) put out a press release on it (here). For new readers, if they like it, it means there will be more bucks flowing their way.
WHERE IS THE ORR ANNUAL REPORT TO CONGRESS?
And the nerve of anyone proposing to give the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) greater power to distribute your tax dollars when they are now over 3 years behind in producing their LEGALLY MANDATED annual report to Congress, see here (for background go here). I think I will call Congressman Peter’s office tomorrow and discuss the lack of any annual reporting throughout the entire period of our economic recession. Maybe the good Congressman can help figure out what the ORR hiding?
I repeat! Before anyone proposes giving ORR more freedom to spend (your) money, how about we first find out how its been spent over the last three years! ORR release the last three annual reports to Congress!