Gallegly Wins Panel’s Backing on Iraqi Resettlement : Gulf War: His amendment would put Congress on record as opposing further admission of POWs to U.S.

The House Foreign Affairs Committee on Thursday unanimously approved a non-binding amendment by Rep. Elton Gallegly (R-Simi Valley) that would put Congress on record as opposing further resettlement of Iraqi prisoners of war in the United States.

Gallegly introduced the amendment after a bill he proposed last month barring resettlement of the refugees was stalled in the House Judiciary Committee, his aides said.

On Thursday, however, Gallegly did agree to an exception to his resolution to permit admission of Iraqi soldiers who provided key intelligence information to the United States during the Gulf War.

The modification, which was put forward by Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Lee Hamilton (D-Ind.), would allow up to 500 Iraqi soldiers to be resettled, Gallegly aides said.

Hamilton’s modification appeared to have won support for the amendment from some committee members who had earlier opposed it. That could ease passage of the measure when the full House takes it up soon. Aides to Rep. Sam Gejdenson (D-Conn.), for example, said that Hamilton’s modification had changed his vote and that Gejdenson would now support the amendment before the full House.

Gallegly decided to push for passage of the amendment, which was added to a bill that adjudicates American claims against Iraq, after learning from Judiciary Committee Chairman Jack Brooks (D-Tex.) that the prospects for passage of his bill in that committee were not good, his aides said.

“The early indication was that it’s probably not going to go anywhere, and that’s why we took this alternate route,” said Gallegly spokesman John Frith.

Brooks was unavailable for comment on the matter Thursday.

About 1,000 Iraqi soldiers captured by U.S. forces during the 1991 Persian Gulf War have been resettled in cities across the United States, and several thousand more are waiting to come here under an international effort recommended by the United Nations high commissioner for refugees.

Members of Congress have criticized the Clinton Administration for participating in the effort, saying that taking in former Iraqi soldiers and providing them with benefits is an insult to American veterans confronting economic hardship.

The State Department has defended the effort, saying that the former prisoners were forced to join the Iraqi army and that many of them provided valuable intelligence information to the United States during the Gulf War. Administration officials have said the refugees would be persecuted by President Saddam Hussein if they return to Iraq.

State Department officials testifying before the Foreign Affairs Committee on Thursday did not retreat from the department’s position. They also noted, in response to questioning from committee members, that the United States had never promised resettlement to Iraqi deserters.

Restricting public benefits is a measure Gallegly has advocated in addressing other public policy concerns. In recent years, he has called for similar measures to deal with illegal immigration.

Gallegly said he was happy with the latest version of his proposal, which had the support of a number of veterans groups, including the Veterans of Foreign Wars.

“I am extremely pleased that the committee approved my amendment,” he said. “It is simply ludicrous that the United States State Department wants to allow some 4,000 Iraqi soldiers--and their families--to become refugees in the U.S.”