Speech #890186555

His humane administration of the Bureau of Security and Consular Affairs in the State Department has repeatedly overcome the resistance of those who have doubts about our policy of maintaining a free and open society. His rulings that our society is strong enough to take the chance of having foreigners of alien political beliefs within its borders have time and again overcome the resistance of people of more limited perspective. His creative contribution to the drafting and enactment of last years historic immigration legislation helped to overcome serious opposition to that bill. The circumstances of Mr. Schwartz resignation as reported in the press raise serious questions. For this reason. if a reorganization plan to abolish the office he held does come before the Congress. it should be examined most carefully and most thoroughly. Abba Schwartz made an important contribution to liberalization of our immigration policy. both in his role in the enactment of the historic 1965 immigration legislation and in his role in the formulation and application of our Nations visa policy. His departure is a loss of the Government he served and to this Nation of immigrants. 5440 I ask unanimous consent that there be placed in the RECORD at the close of my remarks an article which appeared in the New York Times on March 7. reporting Mr. Schwartz resignation. It describes in more detail the reasons why the resignation is such a loss to the Government and the people of the United States.