Speech #900026982

Mr. President. third. I introduce for appropriate reference a bill to facilitate the immigration to the United States of aliens seeking to enter this country to perform labor of a type for which there are not sufficient workers available here. " Mr. President. long before the Immigration Reform Act of 1965 was passed by the Congress. and again during the Senate debate on that law. I presented to the Senate a rather extensive study on the immigration laws of this country. One of the main points I made then was that the admission of more immigrants to the United States would not add to our unemploymentrather. that exactly the contrary was true. I pointed out that only half of all the immigrants to America could have entered the work force. The overwhelming proportion of those who could work in this group were in the central age range urgently needed by our economy. Most of these immigrants were skilled workers already trained and educated. and able to fill serious occupational shortages. High unemployment rates In this country were and still are in the unskilled occupational groups. Since most immigrants are skilled. they do not then measurably take away employment from unemployed Americans. See the 18. pages 2444624468. Experience under the 1965 law has reaffirmed all of these facts. In fact. experience under the new law has proved that existing provisions of the law are unduly restrictive. Section 212(a) (14) as presently written provides that any alien seeking to enter the United States for the purpose of performing skilled or unskilled labor is automatically ineligible to receive a visa and shall be excluded from admission into the United States. Such aliens may be issued visas and admitted only if the Secretary of Labor determines specifically and in each case that: first. there are not sufficient workers in the United States who are able. willing. qualified. and available at the time of application for a visa and admission to the United States and at the place to which the alien is destined to perform such labor. and second. that the employment of such alien will not adversely affect the wages and working conditions of the workers in the United States similarly employed. These limitations apply to aliens in the classes described in section 101(a) (27) (A) of the Immigration and Nationality Act and in paragraphs (3). (6). and (8) of section 203(a) of that act. In general these are special immigrants from the Western Hemisphere. those who are members of the professions. or persons with exceptional ability in the sciences or arts. persons capable of performing specified skilled or unskilled labor not of a temporary or seasonal nature. or persons who are nonpreference aliens. The instant bill would revise the provisions of section 212(a)(14) so that aliens seeking to enter the United States to perform labor will no longer be automatically ineligible for visas and admission. unless the Secretary of Labor determines that there are sufficient workers in the United States able. willing. qualified. and available to perform that type of labor. or that their employment will adversely affect the wages and working conditions of the workers in the United States similarly employed. The coverage of the revised section 212(a)(14) would apply to the same aliens as the present language of the law. My amendment would. in effect. restore the law relating to the amendments to section 212(a) (14) made by the Immigration Reform Act of 1965. Thus. except for certain changes necessary to conform with other amendments to the Immigration and Nationality Act made by the act of 1965. my proposal would amend the language of section 212(a) (14) to read exactly the same as it did before the enactment of the act of 1965. Finally. the bill would repeal the third sentence of section 203(a) (8) of the Immigration and Nationality Act. which provides that no immigrant visas shall be issued to immigrants within the classes described in paragraphs (3). (6). and (8) of that section unless the consular officer is in receipt of a determination made by the Secretary of Labor pursuant to section 212(a)(14). This sentence must be repealed in order to conform with the revisions I discussed earlier which are to be made in section 212(a) (14). Mr. President. the law as it now stands undoubtedly has impeded the flow of workers having skills and talents badly needed by our national economy and who wanted to come to America. Moreover. I believe that this result was not intended by the Members of Congressincluding myselfwho had a hand in drafting the Immigration Reform Act of 1965. It is wholly inconsistent with the liberal spirit of the new law. In far too many cases. nurses. engineers. teachers of foreign languages. chefs. scientists. and others representing a wide array of vocations have found it difficult to enter the country. One of the primary goals of the 1965 act was to facilitate the admission of highly qualified immigrants--not to impede their entry. I am well aware of recent steps taken by the Department of Labor to ease the processing procedure on labor clearances. But I feel that legislative action is absolutely essential to correct this unfortunate situation.