Speech #710091927

Mr. Chairman and members of the committee. I want to take up a human problem with this committee that has been the subject of discussion in the many years I have been in Congress. but not fully discussed. because it seems to be the custom of the Committee on Immigration to bring up a few bills almost at the end of a session of Congress under suspension of the rules. Half of the time most of the Members are not fully acquainted with the situation. because sufficient opportunity is not offered. Oh. I have heard talk here about lots of things that really are of little concern and how we often brush by this human problem of immigration. I venture to say. my dear colleagues. that if this subject was properly understood by the House that all this continuous clamor for relief would not be brought up. I desire to discuss at this time a number of bills introduced by me as amendments to the existing immigration laws. I want to preface my remarks with the statement that I am not intending at this time to urge any legislation which would radically amend or seriously affect the policy which Congress has now permanently laid down and which the President accepts as the basis of our future immigration policy. to wit. the quota law. By this time I believe it has become almost an absolute dogma of belief In quota restrictions. as a permanent immigration policy for the United States. and no matter what arguments might be raised against it they will only fall on deaf ears and can not now be seriously urged against this policy. While permitting the quotas either in the form in which Congress has heretofore established them or under the new nationalorigins policy. which has been written into the law of the land. there are many reasons why the existing immigration laws should be amended. with the view solely of relieving the hardships imposed on our people because of their existence and because it will be inhuman to continue the law in the form in which it has been permitted to be enacted into our statutes. The Commissioner General of Immigration in his report for the fiscal year egding June 30. 1929. has made certain recommendations which agree in many particulars with the bills which I have introduced and which I am now urging Congress to pass. I am advising this Congress in the early part of the session so that my colleagues can not come in at the last days and say they did not have an opportunity to pass upon these questiofns. I say that the committee is ready to work now and adjust differences that have been existing. solely in the interest of the people of the country. and I again tell you that any bill I have filed is practically carrying out the spirit of the Presidents message and is practically carrying out the recommendation of the Secretary of Labor under this administration. I have introduced a total of five immigration bills. and shall discuss them now in the order in which those bills were in. troduced. H. a. 5646 H. R. 5646 provides that an immigrant who is the father or mother of a citizen of the United States. as well as the husband of a citizen of the United States. be admitted to this country outside the quota. This bill is in accordance with the recommendation made by the Commissioner General of Immigration. appearing on page 30 of his report. and being the seventh recommendation in the annual report. and I shall read from this report at length: Seventh. That a nonquota status in the issuance of immigration visas be authorized In favor of the dependent parents over 60 years of age of citizens of the United States. The number who would benefit by this modification of existing law is not large. and considerations of humanity fully support the recommendation. The Congress has extended a nonquota status to the husbands of American citizens. but with the proriso that marriage shall have occurred prior to June 1. 1928. No such limitation. however. is imposed in the granting of a nonquota status to alien wives of American citizens. Legislation is strongly recommended which will place American citizen wives and American citizen husbnnds on an absolute equality in the issuance of nonquota visas. Now. what does this mean? It simply means. gentlemen of the committee. that if you have a mother on the other side of the water. you are unable to bring her or your father into this country because under the act of 1924 all she would be entitled to is a preference.