Mr. President. now that the Immigration Act has been signed by the President and the furor surrounding it has subsided. I believe it is appropriate. to attempt to place this historic legislation in its proper perspective. In the course of the several months of hearings and floor debate during which time the bill was fashioned. many misconceptions and exaggerations of the probable consequences of enactment were disseminated by many of the proponents and opponents. This is true not only of the bill itself. but also of my amendment to it which would place a ceiling on immigration from the Western Hemisphere. The following points should be emphasized: First. The act does abolish the national origins quota system. a fact which I regret. but it also does not necessarily have the effect of changing our historic population pattern. Second. The act does not open the floodgates. On the contrary. it restricts immigration to those who have families already in the United States and to those who can contribute to the culture and economy of our country. Third. My amendment will not reduce immigration from the Western Hemisphere. Rather it will stabilize hemispheric immigration to a maximum of its present rate or slightly above. Fourth. My amendment does not discriminate against our neighbors in this hemisphere.
Keywords matched
Immigration immigration national origins quota