Speech #890139841

Mr. President. since its adoption in 1920. the national origins quota system has been a stain on the fabric of American democracy. I am proud to have cosponsored and worked for the adoption of this bill to abolish the national origins quota system for the allocation of Immigrant visas. The Junior Senator from Massachusetts has performed a distinguished service for our Nation in shepherding this bill through hearings and through the Judiciary Committee. and guiding it to the point of final passage. In place of the discriminatory national origins system. this bill will substitute a new system based on preferences for close relatives of American citizens and resident aliens. for aliens who are members of the professions. or skilled in the arts or sciences. to workers whose skills are needed in our country and for certain categories of refugees. Last year the Congress took a great step toward the elimination of racial discrimination against American citizens here at home. This year the Congress has passed legislation to do away with the last remaining obstacles to the attainment of the right to vote. This Immigration reform bill is no less a civil rights measure. It will end four decades of intolerance toward those who seek shelter on our shores. and who. until they have actually sought entrance. have looked upon our Nation as a refuge and a haven from intolerance. The present national origins quota system is completely inconsistent with the principle of equality of opportunity. upon which our Nation was founded. and with our historic tradition prior to 1920. It is sheer hyprocrisy to extol the virtues of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. and at the same time to uphold an immigration system which is based on the principle of racial superiority. Mr. President. when we began limiting immigration on the basis of race or national origin. we had forgotten that the very name "America" was given to our continent by a German mapmaker. Martin Waldseemueller. to honor an Italian explorer. Amerigo Vespucci. In his book. "A Nation of Immigrants." President Kennedy reminded us that the three ships that discovered America flew the Spanish flag. sailed under an Italian captain. and included as members of their crew an Irishman. a Negro. an Englishman. and a Jew. I could list some of the many contributions which immigrants and the children of immigrants have made and are making to our society. but such a listing would be pointless. For it can truly be said that immigrants and their descendants. Americans all. are responsible for almost all that our Nation has accomplished. In every endeavor. from the world of music to the world of art. of statecraft. of scholarship. of commerce and industry. immigrants and their children have left their indelible mark on our Nation. Mr. President. while this bill abolishes the discriminatory national origins quota system. and establishes a preference system to unite families and to expedite the admission of skilled. professional men into this country. it is not a radical measure. This bill includes strengthened safeguards to protect our economy from job competition and from adverse working standards as a consequence of immigrant workers entering the job market. An intended immigrant. under the provisions of the immigration reform bill. will have to obtain from the Secretary of Labor certification that his entrance will not adversely affect the American job market. There are no grounds for apprehension that this bill will disadvantage American workers. The total authorized immigrants. under the most favorable conditions. will not exceed 355.000 per year. or less than twotenths of 1 percent of our population. Thus this immigration reform bill will not permit more people to enter our country than our society and economy can absorb. However. instead of allocating quotas based on race. available spaces will be apportioned on the basis of individual worth. and the contribution which the individual can make. My State of Maryland is a heterogeneous one. which has profited from the contributions of individuals of many races and nationalities.