Speech #890120690

I rise in support of the bill before us. H.R. 2580. and I wish to commend the chairman of the subcommittee and the full committee on the many hard hours of work which have gone into this bill and their getting it before the House after so many years of waiting. We have long sought a revision of our present discriminatory immigration laws. and I know that we are now well on our way to the passage of equitable legislation. In my opinion. this legislation has been misunderstood by great numbers of our citizens. I have found that many people believe that this legislation will greatly increase the annual overall quota which. of course. is not true. Basically this bill provides for the gradual elimination of the national origins system and establishes a new system for the distribution of quota numbers. This proposed legislation would only permit that portion of the total quota which is unused to be reallocated to those countries which have long waiting lists. Preference would be given first to those people of skills needed in this country and other preference would be given with a view toward reuniting familiesall of this within the overall quota of 170.000. Certainly this is the fair and equitable way to choose those who wish to enter our country. Under this system. one can easily see that the immigrants would not be burdens upon our economy. as some charge. but they will be assets. bringing needed skills. and we must remember that they will become consumers. I firmly believe Mr. Chairman. I urge every Member that the majority of immigrants will in of the House to support H.R. 2580. An some way add to the greatness of this American Is a hybrid of many breeds and Nation just as our ancestors. and all past has the vigor of that high heritage. immigrants. have. What began with an Italian. sailing in a The national origins system is discrim- Spanish ship. has seen. in our own time. inatory. and it gives a bad image to our an immigrants grandson reach the friends overseas. The elimination of this White Houseand so the grand story system is long overdue. and the system goes on. We are truly a nation of immiwhich has been worked out by the ad- grants. If we would honor our heritage ministration and our Committee on the we must put an endhere and nowto Judiciary is a good one. I urge my col- discriminatory national origins quotas leagues to join in approving this bill. and divided families.