Speech #920189678

Mr. Speaker. I wish to advise the House that the Subcommittee on Immigration and Nationality. Committee on the Judiciary. will commence hearingsthe latter part of May on legislation to establish a preference system for immigration from the countries of the Western Hemisphere. The hearings will furthermore be concerned with the need for a realistic revision of the present preference system which will be applicable on a worldwide basis. As my colleagues will remember. natives of the Western Hemisphere enjoyed a nonquota status prior to the 1965 amendments to the Immigration and Nationality Act. Since enactment of those amendments. there was established a numerical ceilingof 120.000 immigrants on all the Western Hemisphere without regard to any preference category or per country limitation. The ceiling placed upon Western Hemisphere immigration was rather hastily considered. Notwithstanding the recommendations of the Select Commission on Western Hemisphere Immigration opposing the ceiling. it did become effective in June 1968. without any formula for the distribution of the 120.000 visa numbers. Consequently. many families experience great hardship. waiting approximately 18 months before they are able reunited with relatives in the United States. I trust that we will be able to correct these inequities in the near future.