Speech #890146015

Mr. Speaker and Members of the House. I. too. today share the observations and the pride of the chairman of the full committee concerning the contributions that have been made by all immigrants to the greatness of our country. and certainly share the views concerning the importance and acceptability of this conference report as outlined by the gentleman from West Virginia . As has been frequently suggested. during this session. the minority party is rarely given the credit it deserves. But I would say without any hesitation that the immigration bill. and the conference report on that subject. is in a large measure due to the great contribution that was made by the minority party. and particularly the leadership of the gentleman from West Virginia and the logic which was expressed and argued persuasively by the gentleman from Minnesota . I point out that the sole purposeor certainly the principal purpose of the billwas to eliminate discrimination as it had long existed by reason of the national origins quota system. I remember the gentleman from Minnesota . pointing out on the floor of the House that if we were going to eliminate discrimination. we ought to do it completely. It seems to me that it was his logic and his persuasiveness that compelled the Senate and all of the conferees. on both sides of the aisle. to accept in this conference report a ceiling of 120.000 from the Western Hemisphere.