Speech #850068524

I am going a step further in associating myself with his action by introducing his bill in order to give it added strength. I hope this will encourage others in Congress to do likewise by associating themselves with Congressman WALTER in his efforts to unite these families. A4583 Briefly. the bill provides that relatives of United States citizens and lawfully resident aliens. who are eligible for second and third preferential status under the Immigration and Nationality Act. shall be admitted as nonquota immigrants. This applies specifically to parents. wives. and children under the age of 21 of such citizens and resident aliens. It is these people. these separated families. whom this bill would unite without any quota charge. I am informed that the total number of people involved in this bill. and by that I mean the number of people abroad who would be eligible for admittance to this country if this bill is adopted. is estimated at about 17.000 to 19.000. Of these. about 11.000 would be from Italy. and the remainder from Greece and other European countries. These are mostly people who had applied for entry to the United States under the Refugee Relief Act of 1953. but for various reasons remained behind when the breadwinner of the family came here first to establish firm economic roots. In the meantime. the Refugee Relief Act expired at tahe end of last year and the families remained separated and stranded. In most instances they were from Italy and Greece. and the quotas of these two countries are heavily oversubscribed so that no other relief is possible for the reunification of these families. Unless we take action along the lines advocated by Congressman WALTER in his bill. these families face many long years of separation and great hardships. It would be most heartrending and inhumane to continue such separations. I believe it is morally incumbent upon Congress to take early steps for the enactment of this legislation and reunification of these families. and in this way correct some of the faults and frustrations of the Refugee Relief Act. Mr. Speaker. the proposed legislation is a step in the right direction and a laudable beginning. We are faced with a pressing situation and it should be dealt with promptly. It cannot wait until we have had a thoughtful and complete reexamination of our immigration policy. For this reason. I strongly urge that action be taken on this measure at the earliest possible moment during the current session of Congress. and thus save these families needless hardships and long delays.