Speech #890153436

I urge that the memory of Christopher Columbus be perpetuated by making the date of his discovery of the New World a legal public holiday. The fact that 38 States now celebrate Columbus Day as a legal State holiday and 7 other States mark the day by Governors proclamation reflect the national consensus for full recognition for this memorable event. As the son and grandson of immigrants whose land of origin was that of Columbus. I am most happy and gratified that on this Columbus Day our immigration policy has once again been made worthy of the spirit of the great explorer. In the Immigration and Nationality Act Amendments of 1965. we have removed the pettiness. the prejudice. the inequities from our selection process. We have brought our policy into conformance with our ideals by affirming that a man is to be judged and judged exclusively on his worth as a human being. The same qualitative tests on the same basis will apply to all who seek the privilege of admission to America. the land that Columbus opened to colonization and to the spread of civilization.