Speech #890225499

June 5. a timely article entitled "Redtape Delays Aliens Jobs" appeared in the Chicago Tribune. It was written by veteran Capitol Hill reporter. Philip Warden. and deals with a serious shortcoming of the amendments to the Immigration and Nationality Act passed last year by the Congress. Phil Warden. a native of Missouri. has been on the Hill since 1957 and has been associated with the Chicago Tribune since 1942. He graduated from Parkville College in Missouri and from the University of Missouri. Phil has over 30 years of experience in the field of journalism and has demonstrated time and time again to those of us in the Congress his honesty. his keen insight. his skill in factual reporting. and his dedication to the public interest. In his article. Phil Warden cites specific cases where the labor ceritfication requirement of the new law is severely limiting the flow of immigration to our country and is contributing substantially to an acute shortage of skilled labor in the United States. Recognizing this shortcoming of the new immigration law and aiming to correct the inequity which exists. I introduced H.R. 12754 in the House of Representatives on February 10. 1966. When I introduced this measure. I wrote to each of my colleagues in the House of Representatives. asking that they introduce similar legislation. Many of my colleagues. including the Honorable EMANUEL CELLER. distinguished chairman of the House Judiciary Committee. which has jurisdiction over immigration legislation. have already introduced similar legislation. I am again appealing to those of you who are encountering similar immigration problems in your own congressional districts and have not yet introduced legislation to act without further delay in order that this inequity in the immigration law may be corrected without further delay. The stringent labor certification requirement of the new law has resulted in hampering the flow of immigration to the United States. It is this flow of immigration that helps to provide an adequate supply of skilled labor and helps to insure the continuing growth of our economy. In the first 41/2 months under the new law only 1.149 of the 43.393 visas issued went to workers. If this situation continues to exist. it can only result in chaos in the American labor market and a serious curtailment of the booming American economy. It is my pleausre to insert in the CONGRESSIONAL RECORD the thoughtful article on this subject written by Phil Warden.