Speech #880146091

Wicker confused his personal convictions with the views of the Johnson administration. that confusion must be cleared up forthwith. No one has the right to drape his personal convictions over this or any Federal administration while he reposes safely in the bombproof shelter of the faceless mass in the Department of State. The prime opponents to new legislation are those who have opposed and continue to oppose full and open inquiries by the Joint Committee on Immigration and Nationality Policy. It is the statutory function of the Joint committee to make a continuing study of first. the administration of the immigration laws and its effect on the national security. the economy and the social welfare of the United States. and. second. such conditions within or without the United States which in the opinion of the committee might have any bearing on the immigration and nationality policy of the United Statessection 401. Public Law 414. 82d Congress. These congressional responsibilities have not been discharged because the Joint Committee was not activated until July of 1963 and then was confronted with the lack of funds to discharge its responsibilities. As chairman of the Joint C6mmittee I Initiated action in Congress on August 1. 1963. to secure the funds required to launch thlb work of the Joint Committee. If Congress is to act intelligently. objectively. and expeditiously on the administrations proposals for revision of our immigration policies. Congress has a first duty to establish all the facts bearing on those proposals. Congress should not be expected to act in the dark on any matter. let alone a matter of high public policy such as immigration. Moreover. the people are entitled to know all the ramifications of our present immigration policy and to be informed of the merits as well as to hear the arguments advanced for change in that policy. It is the duty by law of the Joint Committee to meet those responsibilities and I intend to see that those responsibilities are met. It is significant to note that the last budget request made to Congress by President Kennedy. November 21. 1963. carried a request for funds to initiate the long overdue work of the Joint Committee on Immigration and Nationality Policy. That request. so far as funds for the work of legislative committees is concerned. was the only one blocked from consideration by Congress during the closing days of the first session. If those blocking efforts continue. I have no other course open but to put the full facts before the Congress and the American people. including public exposure of the name of the prime blocker and his close associates in efforts to prevent full and open inquiry by Congress. Let me make the record clear. As soon as the hearings on immigration and nationality policy are concluded. the subcommittee of the House will then be in a position to consider substantive legislation to be presented to the Congress. Time is of the essence in this matter. as I have repeated to interested parties. and the sooner the hearings are completed on policy the sooner will Congress be able to take up specific legislation relating to that policy.