Speech #870048577

Chairman. let me make one other reference. When I testified before the subcommittee which has written this bill. I emphasized the importance of the Congress taking steps to reexamine our immigration laws insofar as they apply to tourists. I mentioned that we give the impression of being obsessed with a sense of xenophobia. and we do. And one reason we do is because of the ridiculous complexities of our immigration system for tourist visitors. the socalled nonpermanent immigrants to the United States. When you think that a foreigner coming to this country has got to deal with the State Department to get a visa. with Health. Education. and Welfare for his health check. with the Treasury Department for his customs check. with the Justice Department for his immigration check. and now with the Commerce Department which is going to be involved in the travel business. you can see how utterly absurd it is that there is no reformation of this entire subject. In addition to this. remember that there are in our immigration laws builtin restrictions against travel. For example. why are we bogged down with visas where tourists are involved? The Secretary of State should be given the power to waive the visa requirement for nonpermanent residentstourists to the United Stateson the basis of reciprocity with other countries. Some say. How are you going to have a check if you get rid of visas? The Justice Department. which is responsible for immigration and our internal security. has made it eminently clear that this is desirable. and it ought to be done. What you would establish in lieu thereof is a less expensive and less cumbersome system of preinspection. A bill I have introduced would make these changes. Another example: the burden of proof is on a tourist to prove that he is not coming to the United States in order to settle down permanently. He has to prove this before he can get a visa to visit the United States. Why should not this be changed? I believe it should. and a bill I have introduced would do so.