Speech #810329399

Speaker. this vetoed resolution does present a tough problem. I very much wish it had been accepted in the Senate as it was passed by the House. It is about the only piece of civil rights legislation that is going to be passed by this Congress and I believe it would have been better as a simple bill saying as my bill did that "the right to become a naturalized citizen of the United States should not be denied or abridged because of race." It is right as a matter of principle that we should make eligible for citizenship those of whatever race who have been admitted to this country for permanent residence. most of them since prior to 1924. who have been good lawabiding people. paid their taxes. and raised their children to be good nativeborn American citizens and sent them out by the thousands in the military service of Uncle Sam. It is right they should be given the privilege of going down and getting their naturalization papers. filling them out and becoming fullfledged citizens like the rest of us. This joint resolution removes racial discrimination from our naturalization laws. I regret that it does not touch the removal of racial discrimination from our immigration laws as did my bill H. R. 199 of which this is the first section. But it is good as far as it goes.