Speech #920194527

Chairman. I rise in support of H.R. 9615. a bill which is long overdue. During the 7 years since we enacted the Immigration Reform Act of 1965. American immigration law has visited upon thousands of earnest hardworking immigrants an unnecessary inequity. Prior to 1965. Irish citizens immigrated to this country at an average of 7.000 per year. As a result of the Immigration Reform Act of 1965. however. that average trickled to a mere 1.000 immigrants per year. Similarly. in 1965. there were 100.000 Italian brothers and sisters of U.S. citizens on the waiting list for visas. Seven years later. there remains a backlog of 88.000. H.R. 9615 would correct this inequity by seeking tc eliminate over the next 4 years the backlog developed since the 1965 act went into effect. Thus. emigrants from Ireland. Great Britain. and Poland would be entitled to approximately 33.000 visas and 40.000 visas would also be issued to brothers and sisters of U.S. citizens. primarly to Italian emigrants. This legislation would not open up the floodgates to the poor and helpless of other countriesalthough I should note that some of Americas greatest businessmen. doctors. scientists. and jurists came from such ranks. We need not expect that the number of persons on welfare would be increased. The waiting emigrants we would be admitting all have skills or would be vouched for by relatives now in the United States. Thus we can expect that they would quickly become selfsupporting and contributing residents of the communities in which they settle. This bill is temporary corrective legislation and would repair the inequity caused by the unfortunate provisions in the 1965 Immigration Reform Act. We have already been urged to wait too long to determine whether. as the committee put it. the "shortcomings of the 1965 amendments would correct themselves. It is obvious now that these shortcomings will only manifest themselves in greater hardship for many intending immigrants." Mr. Chairman. I urge my colleagues to give their strong support today for this legislation.