Speech #900235412

Mr. Speaker. the history of the United States is tied firmly to immigration. Our progress in the past and our promise of the future owes a heavy debt of gratitude to those who left familiar territory to face the challenges and dangers of this New World. America is a nation of immigrants and from this blend of many nations has come a people united in freedom and justice for all men. In 1965 we passed amendments to the Immigration and Nationality Act aimed at correcting injustices that had long been apparent in our immigration policies. Our intention was based on two principles--the reunification of families and the attraction to the United States of immigrants with needed skills and training. The unforeseen result of this law has been to threaten with extinction immigration from many countries which in the past have enjoyed a relative ease of entry. To show how this new law has affected immigration. in 1966. 22.899 German immigrants came to the United States. but in 1967 this number had been cut to 8.333. In 1965. 6.488 Polish immigrants came to America. but in 1967 the number dropped 4.451. Ireland suffered greatly dropping from 5.506 in 1965 to 1.809 in 1967. What the law has done is not only abolish the inequitable national origin quota system. but also place an undue burden on countries which have had a great impact on this country in the past. I have cosponsored a bill which would provide that any nation. whose immigration has dropped below 75 percent of its yearly average during the 10year period 195665. will be allotted additional spaces to bring its total up to 75 percent of its former average. In no case would this number exceed 10.000. Under this legislation. no nation that benefited by the 1965 law will be adversely affected and. since the number of injured nations is small. we can expect only a small increase in actual numbers of new immigrants coming to the United States. Mr. Speaker. immigration policy cannot be ignored. We cannot expect a definitive law which will equitably cover every situation that might arise. Here. we are slightly revising our policy to prevent the disenfranchisement of several nations that has contributed mightily to the growth. development. and success of our Nation.