June 6, 2002

BALDACCI AND ALLEN SEEK FEDERAL ASSISTANCE TO ADDRESS INFLUX OF SOMALI IMMIGRANTS

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- U.S. Representatives John Baldacci and Tom Allen announced on Thursday that they are seeking federal funds to help Somali immigrants in Maine. The resources being sought would ease the transition for Somali families in central and southern parts of the state, and ensure that money is also available to continue meeting the needs of other Maine people who are likewise seeking employment opportunities and adequate housing.

In a letter to the Chairman and Ranking Member of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services & Education, Representatives Baldacci and Allen called for $100,000 in funding to enable Catholic Charities of Maine to provide needed services to Somali immigrants in Lewiston and other communities. Catholic Charities provides outreach and assistance to refugees and immigrants.

The appeal to Chairman Ralph Regula (R-Ohio) and Ranking Member David Obey (D-Wisconsin) follows a series of meetings in which Baldacci, Allen and their staff members have worked to determine how the federal government could help Somalis and other immigrants. The assistance being requested would support job placement and relocation initiatives.

�We are writing to urge you to include funding for a critical project in the state of Maine in the Fiscal Year 2003 appropriations legislation for Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education. Specifically, we are seeking $100,000 from the Employment and Training Administration Account for Catholic Charities of Maine to provide refugee services for the influx of Somali refugees moving into Maine,� Baldacci and Allen wrote.

Baldacci and Allen explained that the arrival of Somali families in Maine is expected to continue. Known as secondary migrants, they have relocated from the south -- particularly the Atlanta, Georgia area. Most of the immigrants came to the United States from refugee camps in Kenya, where they fled to escape Somalia's civil war.

Officials believe more immigrants will arrive in Maine during the coming months - with as many as 1,000 settling in Lewiston. The addition of these new families and workers is expected to place a strain on the region�s social service infrastructure. Baldacci and Allen are working to prevent this from happening. The $100,000 appropriation request would help to address the needs of Somali families, and ensure that resources remain available to aid other Mainers who likewise require some support.

�Federal assistance would greatly aid Catholic Charities of Maine as they begin to prepare job placement and relocation services for the incoming Somalis. We hope that there is an opportunity within the Subcommittee to allocate $100,000 from the Employment and Training Administration Account for Catholic Charities of Maine,� Baldacci and Allen added.

In addition to pushing for federal funds, Baldacci and Allen will continue to work with state and local officials to identify collaborative efforts that might benefit both immigrant families, and the communities in which they settle.

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For additional information, please contact:

Doug Dunbar (Baldacci) 207-942-6935 

Mark Sullivan (Allen) 202-225-6116