Speech #840233346

I would say that there are several good provisions in the Watkins bill which are not included in my bill. I have already referred to one of these. namely. section 3 of the Watkins bill. which authorizes the admission of 1.000 tubercular members of families otherwise eligible under the terms of the act. There is also language in section 2 of the Watkins bill which permits members of family groups to follow rather than to accompany senior members of the family group who have been found eligible under the act and have been granted visas. Thus. under the terms of this provision. children. wives. and spouses could follow later. if for one reason or another they were not ready or not yet found eligible to accompany the member of the family who has been granted a visa under this program. There is no comparable provision in my bill. I strongly urge that the bill that is reported out include such a provision. There is also a good provision in the Watkins bill which provides that the eligibility of the applicants under the refugee relief program shall be determined solely by the consular officer and shall not be subject to review by the immigration officer. This means that the consular officer will be given the authority to decide whether the applicant fulfills all the special requirements of the Refugee Relief Act. as distinct from the general requirements of the McCarranWalter Act. Under the present Refugee Relief Act provisions. both the consular officer and the immigration officer have separate authority to determine whether an applicant is an eligible refugee or escapee. This has resulted in much confusion. delay. and contradiction between the rulings of the consular officer and the rulings of the immigration officer. I believe this is a very sound provision. There is no comparable provision in my bill.