Speech #890121015

Chairman. I rise in support of H.R. 2580. Enactment of the proposed revision of our Immigration and Nationality Act will be one of the most significant and commendable accomplishments of this Congress. In my opinion. it will correct inequities and injustices which have long been inconsistent with basic American concepts and with the overall national interest. The old law. as our country and your Congress have come to recognize. is no longer responsive to our present and. more particularly. our future needs. H.R. 2580 will replace the national origins system as a basis for selection of immigraits with a new system of admissions based upon the existence of close family relationships with U.S. citizens or permanent resident aliens. and upon the advantage to the United States gained from theispecial talents and skills of the prospective immigrant. Under the proposed legislation. the preference categories established will pay special heed to reuniting families. Parents. for example. will be admitted to join their children in the United States without regard to numerical limitations. Special preference will be given to those with professional skills. such as teachers. engineers and physicians. and others of exceptional ability in the arts and sciences. This is a more sound basis for selection than we have had in the past and one that is clearly in the national interest.) This bill not only serves a great national purpose by creating a more equitable and beneficial immigration policy. it will also serve a second important purpose by eliminating a source of considerable foreign criticism. and thereby help improve our relations with many countries around the world. Mr. Chairman. I would like to invite the attention of my colleagues to my own district. which has the largest PortugueseAmerican population in the United States. Under the national origins quota system. the Portuguese quota has always been greatly oversubscribed. As a result. members of many families in my district have been forcibly separated from close relatives overseas for years. while other national quotas have gone unused in many instances. We have been required. to seek special legislationan act of Congressto alleviate such hardships and try to reunite families. Sometimes we were successful. sometimes not. Always it has been difficult and heartrending to those involved. This new program. which has had the careful and deliberate attention of the administration and the Congress. will return to naturalization procedures the sense of fairness. opportunity and national pride which lies at the root of this nation of immigrants. The essence of this legislation. Mr.