Mr. Speaker. I have today introduced two bills. one of general application and the other a private bill dealing with our immigration laws. Both of these proposals act in the field of the waiver of the 2year foreign residence requirement for those who are in this country as exchange visitors. I agree with the basic philosophy of our exchange program. namely. that visitors who come to this country as exchange students are here to learn a skill which they can take back to their home country for the use of that country and its people. I believe it would undermine this important program if we were to be too liberal in allowing those who have come to this country to remain here and thus to deprive their native countries of their talents. Nevertheless. this should not be an inflexible rule and. indeed. some exceptions to it have been developed. There are exceptions in two specific areas. one where the 2year foreign residence would create an extreme hardship on a citizen of this country or an alien here on a permanent resident visa and the second is in the case in which some governmental agency will sponsor the specific individual because of their need of him in the agencys work. What I am suggesting today in my general law is that a further area of exception be recognized. Basically it would permit those who have come to this country as exchange visitors to remain here without having to reside in a foreign country for 2 years when. due to a change in their home country. it would be dangerous or impossible for them to return.
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immigration visa