Speech #710174427

It is the greatest human problem that ever confronted the Congress of the United States. I have seen bills passed on this floor appropriating millions of dollars. bad bills and good bills. Everything went along on an equality. but there was not one voice in this House to join with me and other members of the Committee on Immigration in the way of doing something for the human element in the United States of America. Oh. we pay no attention to that element. We vote for $10.000.000 and $200.000.000. but we pay little attcntion to the home life and the home fires of American citizens. I have a bill before this Congress. H. R. 5G46. and in support of my bill I desire to state that the Immigration Committee saw fit by a majority to report this bill so as to enable American citizens to bring in their parents if they be over 55 years of age. without any quota restrictions or limitations. I did not anticipate that there would be any opposition to this humane measure. After all. the number of those affected would be small. and the happiness and wellbeing of these aged parents would be promoted by this legislation. and we would be able to make ourselves worthy of the great commandmentHonor thy father and mother so that thy days be prolonged upon this earth. The fifth commandment has always been honored and obeyed by the people of this land. and I did not for a moment imagine that there could be men on this floor who would seriously oppose a measure of such decided fairness to our people and the wellbeing of aged parents who may live abroad. On the other hand. we find a minority report which is so full of misstatements. erroneous conclusions. and farfetched innuendos that the mere reading of it is sufficient to convince a person of its utter uselessness. The bill which I have introduced and which the majority of the committee has reported favorably proposes to do one thing. and that is to exempt from the quota restrictions only those parents of American citizens who are of advanced years. being 55 years of age or over. leaving parents who are younger under the immigration law where they are today. and that is in a preferred visa class.