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21 March 2003

Text: Bush Authorizes $22 Million In Emergency Refugee Aid for Iraqis

(Funds would be used to help prevent a humanitarian crisis) (350)
President Bush authorized $22 million to be used for emergency aid to
Iraqi refugees in the event that a humanitarian crisis develops in the
Middle East as a result of coalition military force used against Iraq.
In a March 20 memorandum to Secretary of State Colin Powell, Bush said
the money would be made available from the U.S. Emergency Refugee and
Migration Assistance Fund to the State Department's Bureau of
Population, Refugees and Migration, and could be used to "provide
contributions to international, governmental, and nongovernmental
organizations, as well as for administrative expenses."
Following is the text of President Bush's memorandum to Secretary
Powell:
(begin text)
THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
For Immediate Release 
March 20, 2003
March 20, 2003
Presidential Determination No. 2003-17
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 $22 million be
made available from the U.S. Emergency Refugee and Migration
Assistance Fund to meet unexpected urgent refugee and migration needs
that are 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 this response by the 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 publish 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)