Speech #920048361

Speaker. I wish to express my support for H.R. 165. introduced January 22. 1971. by Congressman WILLIAM RYAN of New York. H.R. 165 would amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to make additional immigrant visas available for countries adversely affected by the 1965 amendments to that act. The principal beneficiaries of this bill would be the countries of Northern Europe. and particularly Ireland. According to the most recent figures released by the State Departments Visa Office. the number of immigrant visas issued to Ireland has dropped to 1.208 in fiscal 1969 and 1.178 in fiscal 1970. This is since the amendments went into effect at the start of fiscal 1969. and it is in marked contrast with 1961 when 6.497 immigrant visas were issued to the Irish. A total of 41.535 immigrant visas were issued to Ireland during the 10year period 196170. At the present rate. only 11.800 visas will be issued to Irish Immigrants during the 10year period 1971It is unpardonable that we should virtually close our gates to the Irish. in view of the great debt owed them by our country. It is precisely because Irish immigration to this country was at its peak in the 19th century. when the country was in its formative stage and the living was considerably less easy than it is today. that it is now so difficult for the Irish to obtain immigrant visas. The preference categories under the current law are weighted in favor of reuniting familieschildren and parents. and brothers and sisters. However. most of the Irish who would like to come to this country do not have parents here. They have greatgreat grandparents buried here. who with their descendents have served this country in every possible way. from fighting in the Civil War to occupying this Chamber as Members of Congress. The present legislation is also prejudicial against the Irish in its employment preference categories. The typical Irish immigrantor wouldbe Immigranthas been the young man seeking his fortune. without a family and generally without the skills or training now required for labor certification. Americas appeal to Ireland has been that of a land of opportunity. We have provided the Irish immigrant with the opportunity to make his fortune. and he has amply repaid the debt in his contribution to this countrys greatness. Prior to the abolishment in 1965 of the national origins quota system. Ireland had an annual allotment of 17.756 immigrant visas. a number derived by calculating onesixth of 1 percent of the number of inhabitants of the United States in 1920 whose ancestors came from Ireland. I certainly do not advocate a return to that system. which was highly prejudicial and as irrationally restrictive for some countries as it was overly generous to others. Great Britain and Northern Ireland. for instance. had an annual allotment of 65.361 immigrant visas which was way beyond their need. The Italian quota. on the other hand. was 5.666. at the beginning of 1964. Italys waiting list for visas to this country was approximately 250.000. However. I do not believe that it was the intention of the 89th Congress in enacting the farreaching amendments to the Immigration and Nationality Act to inflict undue hardship on the countries of Northern Europe. Ireland is not alone. Immigrant visas issued to Germany dropped by half in fiscal 1969 compared to the previous year. before the amendments went into full effect. from 16.601 to 8.226. In fiscal 1968. 33.282 immigrant visas were issued to Great Britain and Northern Ireland. 10.201 were issued in fiscal 1969 and 12.639 were issued in fiscal 1970. H.R. 165 would remedy the unforeseen hardship inflicted on some of our closest allies by establishing a guaranteed annual floor on the number of visas available to any given country. This floor would be based on the average annual number of visas issued to that country during the 10year period beginning July 1. 1955. Every country would be guaranteed a number of immigrant visas equal to 75 percent of that annual average. or 10.000. whichever Is less. Further. so that countries not in need of this safeguard would not be penalized by it in terms of the number of visas available to them. these visas would be provided in addition to the annual overall quota of 170.000 immigrant visas available for Eastern Hemisphere countries. I believe that this is sound legislation. and I urge that it be enacted into law. Thank you.