Speech #850087255

Fourth. Congress has had emergency legislation brought before it to meet every crisis that develops in the world having an important effect on our national security. We must face up to the prospect that the likelihood exists that so long as the conspiracy of communism exists in this world and continues its inhumanities and tyrannies against people. we will continue to have refugees who plead with us for religious and political asylum. If another freedom revolution should break out in Poland or in Czechoslovakia or in Rumania or in Yugoslavia or East Germany or elsewhere behind the Iron Curtain. the President would be faced with the same situation that applied during the Hungarian revolution of last October and November. It is my judgment such revolutions against Russian occupation will certainly occur in the future. Fifth. I feel reasonably confident that Congress will accept the idea of using authorized but unused quota numbers in order to put some flexibility into our immigration policy. I am not asking Congress to authorize more quota numbers because I think this is unnecessary. Congress. in my opinion. has authorized enough quota numbers to meet any situation that has or might develop in the world affecting our vital interests. The question ishow to make the authorized quota numbers work full time for our national interests. Sixth. I believe the time has arrived to put an end to the immigration controversy which has taken up so much of the time of the Members of Congress. In my judgment. the only way this can be done is to provide a fair test on a trial basis of selective immigration based upon criteria established by Congress. The trial period which I envisage should provide the necessary experience for Congress to judge what changes. if any. should be made in the methods we now use to assign immigration quotas. Both sides of the controversy on immigration policy should be willing to accept this trial and to allow the case to be evaluated strictly on the basis of a record to be established. I should like to make it clear that I propose no changes in the basic immigration law having to do with security standards or health requirements. All the provisions of the law in this respect remain unchanged. Moreover. the national origins formula remains basic to the law since it is not in the least affected by my proposal. I anticipate that the appropriate committees of Congress will be constantly consulted and advised on all major developments within the purview of the Selective Immigration Board. The plan I propose will not work unless this is the case. I expect that all departments and agencies of the Government concerned in any way with immigration will cooperate with the proposed Selective Immigration Board. and will give their advice and counsel to the Board. I anticipate that the proposed Board will provide contingency plans in the allocation of authorized but unused quota numbers to take care of such future revolutions against communism as occurred in Hungary. This can be done by setting aside on an earmarked basis. a number 6f authorized but unused quota numbers to be used only should such a contingency arise. The President of the United States has two major responsibilities in connection with my proposed Selective Immigration Act. In the first instance. the President is required to nominate five members of the Board. one who shall be designated by the President to be chairman. These Board members are to be appointed by the President by and with the advice and consent of the Senate. They are required by law to be selected without regard to their political affiliation and solely by virtue of their high personal integrity. their capabilities and their experience in and expert knowledge of national and international political. economic and social affairs and immigration laws and problems. The makeup of the Selective Immigration Board is critical to the success of the entire proposal. The President. under this bill. must also make a determination on which aliens are refugees by virtue of the fact that they have left the country of their national origin because of oppression or persecution. or threat of oppression or persecution because of race. national origin. religion. adherence to democratic beliefs. or opposition to a totalitarian form of government. In this connection. I hope the President will avail himself of the advice and guidance of the National Security Council in making determinations of this sort. particularly when revolutions against Russian communism are involved. In any case. the President is the proper person to make such determinations. as he did in the Hungarian situation. It is estimated that each year there are some 65.000 authorized but unused quota numbers. I propose that any part or all of these unused quota numbers for a 3year period be allocated by the Selective Immigration Board with the following criteria to serve as guideposts in making specific allocations: First. The desirability of bringing into the United States annually a number of persons possessing technical and professional skills and specialized experience found to be in short supply in the American labor market. A determination would need to be made that such services will be substantially beneficial to our national economy.