Speech #890119517

This is an amendment which was proposed in the subcommittee and which was adopted in the subcommittee when the subcommittee members were registering their own independent judgments on the matter. But at the 11th hour and 59th minute before the subcommittee approved the bill. my amendment was defeated on a motion to reconsider. The gentleman is entirely correct when he refers to the fact that without my amendment the bill would continue substantially as is the immigration patterns from the Western Hemisphere with the exception of the Caribbean area. The gentleman did refer to Jamaica and to TrinidadTobago as being countries who will be placed in a highly favored position under the bill as it now stands. yet it is urged that we put the lid on immigration from our allies such as the United Kingdom and the Federal Republic of Germany and other countries of Western Europe. I should like to call the attention of the House to the fact that the bill as it now stands not only gives a highly preferential treatment to countries in the Caribbean which have recently acquired "their independence but. if it is adoptedi. it would grant highly preferential treatment to all Caribbean countries which subsequently acquire their independence. I call the gentlemans attention to the fact that the country of British Guiana is certain to obtain Independence in the near future.