Speech #890120784

Mr. Chairman. surely the great majority of Americans would objectively judge this system and situation to be gravely unfair and it is. indeed. a matter which has seriously hurt the prestige and influence of the United States. both at home and abroad. One of the primary purposes of the bill before us now is to correct the injustices generated by this outdated national origins quota system and the adoption of this bill will correct it by. establishing a new quota system. It is important to note that the operation of this new quota system will not result in any substantial change in the total number of immigrants traditionally admitted to the United States. rather the new system is designed to eliminate. over a period of 3 years. by pooling and redistribution. our present discriminatory system of national quotas and thereby help to alleviate the backlogs of those countries having the highest number of applicants. Another vitally important section of this bill recognizes the desirability of close family relationship and encourages the preservation. as the foundation of civilized society. of the family unit. This particular section provides preferential priorities to close relatives of American citizens and resident aliens who have been on waiting lists for a heartbreaking length of time. The adoption of this feature alone should save countless expenditures of Federal money. as well as time and energy of Federal legislators and agencies. in the processing of private bills. for the relief of extreme and unusual hardship immigration cases that come before our House Judiciary Committee by the thousands every year. Limited preferences are further provided for professional qualified people. and some semiskilled people. whose services are urgently needed here and who will contribute the most to the national economy. welfare and cultural interests of the United States. However. it should be emphasized right here that this measure purposely contains ironclad provisions of protection for American labor and living standards. at all levels. whether skilled. semiskilled. or professional. because a heavy burden is placed upon every Intending immigrant who. prior to visa issuance. is individually required to obtain the certification of the Secretary of Labor that his entrance into the United States will not displace a qualified American worker and his potential employment in the United States will not adversely affect the wages and working conditions of workers similarly employed in this country. I think. on this score. we should further remind ourselves that. within this bill. there has been no relaxing of the qualitative criteria for entrance into the United States and that no relaxation of the mental. health. moral. economic. and security standards is proposed or intended. Mr. Chairman. it is pertinent. this afternoon. that none of us should forget that this mighty Nation was itself founded and developed almost altogether by immigrants. Certainly in advancing our position of world leadership and inspiration in these perilous days we can speak more convincingly and persuasively for freedom everywhere when we have done our legislative utmost to grant real freedom. real sanctuary. real family unity. and real opportunity to qualified immigrants who wish to begin a new life in this country. Our national history emphasizes that these are the kind of people in whose behalf the original American tradition of asylum was established and whose immigration to these shores has enriched our country from its earliest days right up to this very hour. Mr. Chairman. in his legislative recommendation on the immigration problem our late and beloved President John F. Kennedy stated: Our investment in new citizens has always been a valuable source of our strength. Accepting his counsel. and in his valiant spirit. let us adopt this measure. now. in the national interest.