Missouri lawmakers seek answers on funding to help Syrian refugees

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Missouri lawmakers are set to question officials in Gov. Jay Nixon's administration Monday on how the state spends money to help refugees amid concern about the resettling of Syrians in the United States after the deadly attacks in Paris.

The House Budget Committee hearing is the latest response by state lawmakers to Nixon's decision not to join other governors who are seeking to block Syrian refugees fleeing from the Islamic State group from relocating in their states. While Nixon's decision received support from some lawmakers and faith groups, it also led to a wave of backlash primarily among Republican legislators, who cite concerns with the screening process for refugees and fear terrorists could slip into the country.

"Because of our governor's lack of leadership and this administration's failed federal foreign policies, we will try to find ways to protect the safety and well-being of the citizens of the Show-Me State," Senate President Pro Tem Ron Richard said in a statement announcing the budget hearing.

Senate majority caucus spokeswoman Lauren Hieger said the aim is to figure out what the state financial burden is in terms of refugee assistance. While lawmakers allocate funding, state agencies have some leeway in how they spend it.

Would-be refugees are generally referred to the U.S. government by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. The process, which includes in-person interviews and fingerprinting, takes Syrians nearly three years on average. There's no guarantee of approval. According to a federal database, 29 Syrian refugees have settled in Missouri so far this year.

Individual states do not have the legal authority to block refugee placement, and the American Civil Liberties Union of Indiana last week sued Republican Gov. Mike Pence for stopping state agencies from helping resettle Syrian refugees.

But Missouri receives federal funding used for programs that assist refugees and chips in some state money, which is allocated by lawmakers.

President and CEO Anna Crosslin of the International Institute of St. Louis, which provides resettlement services to refugees, said it's important lawmakers learn about those programs but said state impact is limited.

The only area lawmakers "would have any potential effect, would be in any areas where they might have state funding that's a portion of any particular grant," Crosslin said. "My belief is that is virtually none."

Examples of how state money is used for refugee assistance include $200,000 allocated to the Department of Health and Senior Services this fiscal year for a contract with bilingual assistant services to help disabled and elderly refugees, spokesman Ryan Hobart said in a statement. The agency this fiscal year also received a $110,000 federal refugee health grant which primarily pays for tuberculosis testing at the State Health Lab, Hobart said.

Another roughly $137,000 in federal funding for the AmeriCorps service program in Missouri last year went to the International Institute of St. Louis.

The House Budget Committee chairman's office says lawmakers asked representatives of the state social services, health, K-12 education and revenue agencies to testify Monday.