Mr. Speaker. I am happy to join my colleague from the State of New York . in supporting H.R. 165. a bill to make available additional visas to nationals of countries from which immigration has declined because of the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965. I should make clear. as others have. that I support the rationale of the 1965 act. I believe that it was a vast improvement over the national quota system of immigration which existed prior to 1965. In that respect. the Immigration and Nationality Act helped restore our system to the ideal where race and national origin have no significance in the law. But as far as the Immigration and Nationality Act attempted to be. and as strongly as I support the broad policy which that act sought to carry out. I believe we must realize that in isolated instances inequities have occurred and unfairness has resulted. I consider myself fortunate that my colleague from New York has brought to my attention the harsh results which the 1965 act would bring about for at least one nationality groupthe Irish.
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quota system Immigration immigration visas