Mr. Chairman. in this very technical field of immigration and certainly an area in which there is intense Interest throughout the country. I would like to share very briefly with the Committee some of the difficulties that we on the subcommittee have had in giving our time and attention to the matter which has been before us now some 3 years. Mr. Chairman. I know of no particular legislation that could be brought to the floor of the House of Representatives in which feelings could run higher in a negative way or perhaps the pressures could be as fierce in a positive way. It may be a little bit difficult for the membership of a committee to understand exactly what I am getting at. but may I just phrase it in this way: In attempting to do the job that one has and In fulfilling the responsibility that one has as a Member of Congress and as a member of a committee which handles the immigration policy of our country. at times it was even difficult to ask fairly a question of a witness In order to seek a better balance in the record without being accused. simply by reason of tendering the question. of having either an ulterior motive or being adverse to any sort of immigration reform. During the committees deliberations I was. on more than one occasion. the victim of inaccurate information. because of the manner in which I pointed my questions in attempting to bring a balanced record before us to consider as we began to write the bill. simply because my questions did not always reflect a favorable attitude toward revising or reforming our Immigration laws. Then on the other hand at times when the questions took a more serious note about taking care of some of the inequities and some of the very real discriminations that exist In our law. the pressures exerted themselves the other way. You were then misinformed as being an individual that desired to let down the floodgates and to let all of the mass inflow of possible aliens come into this country that desired to do so.
Keywords matched
Immigration immigration