Speech #850150946

I believe that the Government of the United States should be grateful. and generous. when. as it is clear. these humble people have sacrificed so much because of their faith in freedom. Therefore. I ask for your support of my bill to amend section 312 of the Immigration and Nationality Act to exempt certain additional persons from the requirements as to understanding the English language before their naturalization as citizens of the United States. So that any person of good character. who is over 50 years of age and has been living in the United States for periods totaling at least 20 years. may be naturalized without being required to undergo the fear. embarrassment. and failure of a language examination. In view of their solid contributions to the progress of our country. and the deep and abiding respect they have for its ideals. we can do no less in return than to raise them to the status of firstclass citizens. In most cases it wil be appreciated more than if they were born to it. A constructive law is one that is compassionate. that is concerned with the spirit as well as the letter. Some laws. conceived in hysteria or intolerance. or under conditions that have changed to a large extent. become selfdefeating. This provision of the naturalization laws. as applied to older aliens who have lived in the United States a long time and for whom the United States is their home. is unrealistic and unfair. Before they die. let us remove the language barrier. and make them happy and proud by conferring the dignity of United States citizenship upon them.