(Washington D.C.)- Congressional Republicans yesterday introduced and passed a bill that would temporarily increase funding for the Repatriation Program to cover the current cost of assisting thousands of U.S. Citizens being evacuated from Lebanon, but then would terminate the Repatriation Program in 2007. The Bush Administration has notified Congress that the program will shortly run out of funds and will no longer be able to assist citizens returning to the U.S.  U.S. Sander Levin (D-Royal Oak), a senior member of the House Ways and Means Committee, together with U.S. Reps. Jim McDermott of Washington and Ben Cardin of Maryland, had introduced alternative legislation that would raise the cap on funding for this year's emergency without preventing it from helping people evacuated in the future. Levin slammed Congressional Republicans for their "upside-down" priorities at a time when Americans need their assistance.

"The Repatriation Program has been a life-line for thousands of American citizens fleeing Lebanon," said Levin.  "It's just irresponsible for the Majority to end this critical program when our top priority right now should be to help every American that wants to leave Lebanon get home quickly and safely."

As of last Friday, over 800 U.S. citizens leaving Lebanon had arrived at BWI or Philadelphia Airport and between 7,000 to 15,000 may arrive over the coming weeks.  The Repatriation Program greets these evacuees at the airport and inquires whether they need any assistance, including help in securing and paying for connecting flights, temporary lodging, food and medical assistance.

The Repatriation Program is a permanent program funded at $1 million dollars a year which provides temporary assistance to American citizens who are identified as having returned from a foreign country to the U.S. because of destitution or illness, or because of war, threat of war or similar crises and are without available resources.  Recipients of this assistance are expected to reimburse the government for costs incurred on their behalf, unless repayment is deemed to be unfeasible due to the recipient's overall lack of financial resources.  During an international crisis, mass evacuations of American citizens from a foreign country are processed through this program when they disembark at a designated point of entry into the U.S.  In those situations, the Repatriation Program pays the State of the points of entry to process returned citizens at the airport, determining their level of need for financial assistance, food and lodging, medical assistance, domestic travel connections, and replacement of lost documents such as passports.  The House-passed bill now needs to be reconciled with a Senate version which would not terminate the program in the future.  

(####)

Home Page  |  Press Releases