Speech #860044537

I refer to the bills by which it is sought to "correct situations which have been revealed by the decisions of the U.S. Supreme Court." Mr. President. the Internal Security Subcommittee of the Senate Judiciary Committee is now holding hearings on several bills which carry out the major recommendations of the American Bar Association. as follows: They give State antisedition statutes concurrent effect with the Federal law known as the Smith Act. they amend the Smith Act to redefine the word "organization." so that it includes the recruiting of new members. and to make "advocacy" illegal. even when it is abstract and is not directed at specific action. they amend the Immigration Act. so as to give greater discretion to the Secretary of State to deny passports. and they expand the authority of Federal agencies to summarily suspend employees who hold nonsensitive jobs. Mr. President. I have already stated my disagreement with the proposal to give State antisedition statutes concurrent effect with the Smith Act. and also my disagreement with the proposal to change the definition of the word "advocacy" in the Smith Actbecause I believe to do so would be unconstitutionaland also my disagreement with the proposal to expand the authority of. Federal agencies summarily to suspend employees who hold nonsensitive jobs. I wish to refer now to the proposal to amend the Immigration Act. so as to give greater discretion to the Secretary of State to deny passports. I think that the practical effect of the Supreme Courts opinions on that subject is that. under the freedom to travel. which is one of our proper freedoms. a passport can be denied only to a person CV---454 who Is not a citizen. or to a person who has been in the United States illegally and is not a lawfully admitted alien. or to a person who is subject to criminal jurisdiction at the timefor instance. because he is on parole or because he is subject to being sentenced for a crime. or because of similar situation. and that In all other cases the Secretary of State has to grant a passport. I believe that law needs to be made more precise.