Speech #890120911

Chairman. I take this opportunity to express my complete support for this legislation and state that I will vote for H.R. 2580. This legislation which finally amends the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1952 was a long time in comingbut its eventual arrival has always been a certainty. It was inevitable. when the national origins quota system was first enacted in 1924 and reenacted in 1952. that it would some day be stricken from the law. We are. today. approaching that longawaited day. One of the most inequitable parts of our present law is the national origins quota system. It has been. from its very inception. a discriminatory law. It asks of the immigrant where he was born and does not treat the man of one nation as an equal of the man of another country. It does not look at this qualifications for life in the United States. It is difficult to understand our logic. We spend billions of dollars in foreign aid so that we can convince other nations that our democratic way of life is the best and then we say to the people of these countries when they wish to come into the United States. "sorry. you were born in the wrong country." I agree with the sentiments expressed by the late President Kennedy when he said that the national origins quota system was "without basis in either logic or reason." The national origins systems is a denial of our heritage. It ignores the fact that ours is a nation of immigrants. that much of our prosperity. wealth and strength as a country is derived from the diversity of our citizens backgrounds Just as much as it is derived from our unity. To those who say that the national origins system is working well. I say then why is it necessary for the Congress to pass so many bills every year dealing with specific cases of immigration? Why is it necessary for Congress to pass exceptional legislation year after year? Is it not time to make the exception the rule? Ninety percent of the Far Eastern immigration between 1953 and 1963 was nonquota immigration. Is it not time to reconcile the letter of the law to the facts of immigration? The last four Presidents to hold office have recommended that this law be drastically modified or repealed. It is surprising to me that this inequitable system has remained in effect as long as it has. This bill is not a radical proposalit is a just and humane piece of legislation. It is conservative in that it seeks to abolish the national origins system in favor of the equality of opportunity that existed before we blindly adopted the quota system. It is conservative in that it does not seek to significantly increase the number of immigrants coming to our shores. In fact. it will help stimulate our economy rather than add to the unemployment figures. Passage of this bill will not result in unregulated immigration. The bill retains all the necessary security requirements now In the present law. The passage of H.R. 2580 will bring to our immigration law the kind of flexibility required by the international situation. It will bring our immigration policy Into line with our foreign policy. But most important. it will bring our immigration policy in line with the heritage. the fine traditions and ideals of the United Statesthe heritage that believes and does not merely profess to believe in the fundamental truth that all men. regardless of race. color or religion. are created equal. I am pleased with the objectives of this bill and support it wholeheartedly.