Speech #840104933

RICHARD B. WIGGLESWORTH. While the issuance of the 40.000th visa is a happy and important milestone in the refugee relief program as applied to Italy. Mr. Speaker. I feel compelled to call to the attention of my distinguished colleagues other facts with regard to Italy. We now know that the 60.000 visas allocated for Italy under the Refugee Relief Act will be used by the end of 1956. So many applications are now on file that the cutoff date was announced as of December 28 and no new cases are being accepted for processing. This means that for all practical purposes we will be clamping down on immigration from Italy unless we give prompt consideration to the recommendations of the President in his state of the Union message. He has recommended that the unfilled opening from various countries under the Refugee Relief Act be distributed to Italy. Greece. and other areas of need.