Speech #900311997

They will also engage in social welfare and community programs. In previous years it was possible to have these religious persons admitted under the nonpreference portions of undersubscribed European country quotas. The hundreds of thousands of family members who are now being admitted to the United States each year under the act of October 3. 1965. has eliminated any nonpreference allocations under the immigration laws. Now these highly trained persons may have to wait years before favorable action can be taken on their visa applications. I know you join with me in a mutual concern for adequate safeguards to prevent abuses in any form of legislation. This amendment merely expands legislation that has worked effectively for the past 40 years to facilitate the expeditious admission of ministers of religion. The proven safeguards are included in this legislation and we will insist that the administration regulations meet the same high standards. The fact that those who will benefit under this legislation will not compete for jobs with available American employees is certified to by the fact that over the past 3 years the Secretary of Labor has issued rulings exempting from the protective labor certification of our immigration laws religious workers coming to the United States to pursue their calling within the scope of the activities of established religious organizations in this country. As you will note from a further reading of H.R. 15450 and the report of the House Judiciary Committee. the beneficiaries of this legislation will have to be professed members of their religious communities for at least 2 years prior to their admission to this country. It will have to be certified that they are coming to the United States at the request of and will serve under the direction of a bona fide religious community in the United States. Under the terms of their admission. they will be granted visas solely to pursue. on a fulltime basis. their religious calling. These professed religious who have dedicated their lives to the service of their fellow man are urgently needed to implement the increasing activities of our churches and religious organizations in the broad field of social welfare. They are particularly necessary in the urban and innercity areas where successful activities are most necessary for the future of these communities.