Speech #530131557

I have filed it as a separate bill. I think it can be broadly supported on all sides. So the Members will understand what happened. the Supreme Court issued an opinion giving very strict construction to this language. which was in fact stricter than the Immigration Service itself wanted to take and we have discussed this with the Immigration Service. While I could not say they have signed off on the exact language of the gentleman from California. the Immigration Service told us in a subcommittee meeting that they are convinced of the need to make some change. Now. there is nothing in the Senate bill on this issue. because the Supreme Court opinion we are talking about. the name of which I cannot pronounce. came after the Senate had acted. so what we expect to do if we can get this amendment in. we will then work with the Senate and with the Immigration Service. What we want to say is that if you had no intention of breaking your residence. but if you left on a brief vacation or a family problem. that should not make you start from scratch from the present. That had always been the way it had been interpreted sort of by the INS and others and we really mean to be able through this amendment to work with the Senate and the INS to get the law back to where we thought it was before the Supreme Court decision.