Speech #880288340

The further practice of banishing one to any other land accepting himupon the refusal of his native land to permit his entry is purely an illegal device to dump him anywhere. just to get rid of him. disregarding what vested rights inure to him or his family that equity and good conscience dictate. The separation from family is of momentous importance to ones kinfolk as well as to the individual and must be considered important enough to spell out the law to prevent injustice. The principal purpose of H.R. 7700 is to abolish the national origins system and to permit entrance to those filing within preference categories on a first come. first served basis. Each countrys quota will be reduced :0 percent the first year and 40 percent the second year. 60 percent the third year. 80 percent the fourth year. and 100 percent in the fifth year. The present total annual quota of 157.000 will be increased to 165.000. The increase of 8.000. as a result of increasing the minimum quotas from 100 to 200. Thus this gradual elimination of the national origin quota system is accomplished without disturbing by abrupt action the operative quality of procedures. The bill also contains a special provision granting the President to reserve up to 50 percent of the pool after consultation with the Board. first. to avoid undue hardship resulting from quota restrictions. second. in the national security interest. The President may also retain 20 percent of the pool for refugees. Also provided that no more than10 percent of the total16.478 visas may be allocated to any nations quota area except under the Presidents authority to reserve numbers from the pool. Under the present regulations as much as. 50.000 unused quota numbers are lost to the system a*nnually. The immigration figures for a test year ending June 30. 1963about 306.000 immigrants were admitted. The quota was 157.000but only 103.036 were admitted under the McCarranWalter Act. Thus. twothirds of these admitted were outside the act.