Speech #880068027

Mr. President. speaking as one Senator who has been deeply involved for many years in the struggle to revise our immigration and naturalization statutes. I cannot express too forcefully my enthusiasm for the courageous and farseeing immigration message sent to Congress yesterday by President Kennedy. I recall that when the President was still a Member of the Senate. he joined with the Senator from Minnesota in introducing immigration legislation with objectives quite similar to the bill sent to Congress yesterday. The distinguished Senator from Michigan has assumed command of efforts in Congress to enact these new recommendations. He is the author of proposed legislation . with which I have long been associated. and that I am proud to cosponsor in the 88th Congress. legislation to put the quota system on a rational and just basis. Although Congress faces many urgent matters of national importance at this session and the next. I fervently hope we can nevertheless push ahead with the longpostponed. longoverdue task of bringing our immigration laws up to the civilized standard which the world has reason to expect of the United States. The present system is cruel. unworkable. discriminatory. and illogical. As a nation composed almost entirely of immigrants. and as a nation that has profited and prospered immeasurably from the many nationalities who have come to our shores. we can ill afford to continue for much longer the Immigration policies that have critically hindered an infusion of new citizens into the lifeblood of this Nation. I urge prompt consideration by the appropriate congressional committees of the Presidents bill and related immigration legislation so that the 88th Congress will not adjourn sine die until affirmative and constructive action has been secured by both Houses. Mr. President. I ask unanimous consent that an editorial published in this mornings Washington Post and an article published in the New York Times dealing with the Presidents immigration message be printed in the RECORD at this point in my remarks.