Speech #870133309

I agree that the quotas are archaic. I go further. I say there is a very discriminatory feature in the present immigration laws relating to the Asiatic Pacific Triangle. Every year approximately 154.000 immigrants come to the United States under our quota system. Of the 154.000 immigrants. less than 2 percent come from the Asiatic Pacific triangle. What is the Asiatic Pacific triangle? The Asiatic Pacific triangle is composed of the nations of India. Indonesia. Malaya. Japan. China. and many others in southeast Asia including many of the islands of Polynesia. When one considers the fact that of the 154.000 quota immigrants coming to the United States only 2.000 are allotted to the Asiatic Pacific triangle. less than 2 percent. one observes how discriminatory are the immigration laws of the United States as it relates to the Asiatic Pacific triangle. I hope that in the next year we shall have an opportunity to delete from the law this discriminatory feature and give a larger quota to the Asiatic Pacific triangle. We are spending billions of dollars in our effort to win the hearts and minds of men all over the globe. In our immigration laws we tell these people. "You who represent approximately onehalf of the population of the world. you who are in the Asiatic Pacific triangle. you can send to the United States only 2.000 people out of 154.000." This very discriminatory feature of our law should be amended. The bill which is now before the Senate for vote is a good bill. It will be a step forward. Since we cannot get a full loaf. at least we can expect half a loaf. This bill will bring joy and happiness to at least 10.000 families in the United States. The bill covers some 18.000 people who are now in the second and third preferences. those who are wives of immigrants permanently residing in the United States. unmarried daughters and sons of immigrants permanently residing in the United States. and unmarried sons and daughters of citizens who are in the United States but who are past the age of 21. These people will be allowed to come into the United States under the terms of the bill and be reunited with their families. This bill will also bring joy to many childless couples in the United States who are unable to adopt a child in the United States because of the dearth of children available for adoption.