Speech #890120750

Ours is a dynamic and everprogressing society. always receptive to fresh insights and new ideas. while at the same time. preserving those principles which have made our Naticn great. I think it is fitting. in this regard. to note that two characteristics of the American people are a high regard for excellence of achievement. and an allembracing human warmth. evidenced by a sensitivity to the difficulties and aspirations of others. Both of these values are indelibly and unambiguously written into the bill before us today. for In abolishing the national origins quota system new standards emerge. The obJectives of these criteria are: to alleviate the anxiety and misery of separated famflies. to bring to this country professionals and workers with needed skills. and to give haven to those suffering the stings of racial. religious. and po-. litical persecution. I was privileged to cosponsor the original bill introduced at the beginning of this session. and honored to testify on its behalf when the bill was being considered by the Senate Subcommittee on Immigration. And today. I am very proud indeed to support this just and thoughtful legislation. If we may reflect at this historic moment on a tragic aspect of our immigration history. we recall the era of the 1930s and early 1940s when many victims of Nazi murder camps wera denied admission to the United States. They were barred because of the discriminatory national origins quota system which we are now. finally. repudiating in the proposed bill. Had such legislation as the pending bill been adopted 30 years ago or 25 years ago. many valuable new citizens might today be making a contribution to our Nation rather than lying buried in mass graves in Europe at the grim sites of the Nazi death camps. This bill abolishes the national origins quota system over a 3year period to permit a smooth transition to the new universal system under which. preferences are based on family ties in the United States. and professional skills. Until the national quota system is removed. unused quotas will be transferred to the heavily oversubscribed countries. thus allowing for a gradual increase in immigrants from countries that were discriminated against in the past. A yearly limitation of 17.000 is established. with no more than 20.000 immigrants a year coming from any one foreign state. excluding any quota for special immigrants from the Western Hemisphere and immediate relatives of U.S. citizens. The various preference quotas will be filled on a firstcome firstserve basis. Within this numerical limitation of 170.000 is a quota for about 10.000 refugees who have been persecuted because of their race. religion. or opposition to communism and other totalitarian beliefs. This bill upholds our belief in family life and gives automatic preference to immediate relatives. meaning parents. husbands and wives. and unmarried minor children of U.S. citizens. without regard to the numerical limitations. Strong preference Is also given to other close relations. When all America was a frontier. we found ourselves asking each other not "Who are you?" or "Where did you come from?" but "What can you do?" And this regard for ability. not nobility. has served us well. It is most appropriate. therefore. that certain preferences for an immigration visa be accorded a person who. because of his ability in the professions. arts. or sciences. can benefit the economy. welfare. and culture of the United States. Also. any laborer whose skill in performing his craft. for which there is a shortage within the United States. may receive preferential treatment. I would like to point out that. under the present law. the Secretary of Labor has the responsibility of excluding any immigrant who might displace an American laborer. Under this bill. however. the prospective immigrantworker must himself demonstrate to the Secretary of Labor that he will not take anothers job before he can receive the clearance necessary for obtaining a visa. This provision will serve to maintain our high standards of wages and working conditions and protect our economy from unemployment. I also hasten to point out to my colleagues that enactment of this bill will not result in a substantial increase in the annual number of immigrants. The estimated increase in authorized quotas is only 2.000 per year above the present level. So.