Speech #890007233

Other countries with very small quotas. such as Greece and Italy. have lengthy waiting lists of eligible people. The fact that such discrimination is written into the law. in a country which basically believes in equal justice under the law for all men. raises severe doubts about our sincerity. In his testimony before the House Immigration Subcommittee. last summer. Secretary Rusk stated that in 1 year more than a dozen foreign ministers spoke to him personally about the prejudice inherent in our immigration law. I hope the wellmeaning people who support the present law as a guardian of the national character will take heed of the problem which it poses for our representatives abroad. who must reconcile the national origins system with our claims of equality for all. In short. we can approximately keep our annual total quota of immigrants. but we can make sure that it is more fairly distributed among all eligible individuals. Under the Hart bill. the national origins system will gradually be abolished and the total annual quotas will be pooled for distribution by a more equitable formula. based on skill and close relations in this country. But careful precautions are written into the bill. in order to prevent any reverse discrimination against our good friends and allies in Europe. The change that is proposed is not one of appreciably increasing the quantity of authorized immigration. but. rather. is one of changing the methods and principles by which it will be regulated. We shall not have coming to our shores significantly more aliens than those who now come. The total yearly quota will be increased by only 7.000from 158.000 to 165.000. We shall reduce the need for private bills. 197 of which were passed by the 88th Congress. and we shall reduce the need for stopgap legislation. Since 1957. Congress has responded to the need for revision of the McCarran Act by passing five laws which have admitted certain refugees and skilled persons. Under these laws. 141.598 eligible persons have entered the country outside of the quota. since 1957. These have been good laws. born of urgent necessity.