House Approves $150,000 for War Refugee Board to Cover Administrative Expenses

The House today approved an appropriations bill clause granting $150,000 to the War Refugee Board for administrative expenses from January to June. The bill orders that the money be taken from the President’s emergency fund.

Under the provisions of the Russell Amendment any government agency in existence over a year must come to Congress for appropriations. The War Refugee Board was set up last January 22. A few weeks ago John W. Pehle, executive director, appeared before a House appropriations subcommittee to request the appropriations “for personnel and communications” in the event it is necessary to maintain the War Refugee Board beyond January. Pehle told the committee that. “there are about a million people left in occupied Europe whose lives hang by a thread and anything we can do to help those people we are doing.”