Speech #890073725

Nathan Strauss III. the New York City civic leader. is chairman of the organizing committee. Of the some 400 Invitations mailed. I am informed that only 4 declinations were received on the basis of opposition to the administrations immigration proposal. The membership of the Committee now totals 250. The statement of principle. endorsed by all members of the Committee. points out that the national origins provision of our present immigration law is detrimental to our international interests. breeds hatred and hostility toward the United States. blocks comity among nations. and is a hindrance to our Nations policy of peace among nations. without serving any national need or serving any international purpose of the United States. It further states that the National Committee for Immigration Reform endorses enactment this session of Congress of the essential provisions of the administrations immigration proposal as introduced by myself and 32 other Members of the Senate and by Representative EMANUEL CELLER. Democrat. of New York. and a large number of Members of the House. The impressive list of membership of the committee Indicates the widespread citizen support for immigration reform as proposed by the President. The list includes two former PresidentsEisenhower and Truman. two former Secretaries of the TreasuryRobert B. Anderson and Douglas Dillon. and two former Attorneys GeneralHerbert Brownell and J. Howard McGrath. It also includes 19 union presidents. including George Meany. president of the AFLCIO. and leading religious and civic leaders representing every geographical area of the country. Yesterday a representative group of the members of the National Committee for Immigration Reform. headed by Gen. David Sarnoff. visited briefly with President Johnson and assured him of their continuing support for the principles of the administrations immigration proposals. There is no doubt that the impressive support evidenced by the formation of this national committee will be one of the more significant reasons for our success in enacting the Presidents proposals -in this session of the Congress. I ask unanimous consent that the statement of purpose of the National Committee for Immigration Reform. Mr. Robert Murphys statement at a news conference held on June 14. and a list of the present membership of the committee be printed at this point in my remarks.