Speech #920194530

Chairman. as the sponsor of identical legislation. I most earnestly hope and urge that the great majority of our Members. here. will accept and approve this pending bill. H.R. 9615. which will temporarily provide additional visas for prospective immigrants from certain foreign countries. I think it should be emphasized that this proposal is. in substance. a remedial measure to be In effect for only 4 years and with the sole purpose of correcting the inequities that have obviously resulted from the tooshort transition period of change. 1965 to 1968. from the old national origins system of granting visas to the new "firstcomefirstserved" system. We have come to realize that however well meant certain amendments were as attached to the basic 1965 immigration act. the accumulation of visa requests in some heavily used preference classifications was not eliminated as a result of the amendments and prospective immigrants from former high quota countries. such as Ireland and Germany have had undue and practically discriminatory hardships visited upon them. Passage of this bill before us will go a long way toward insuring that the countries that were denied the expected benefits of the 1965 Immigration Act due to the amendments will now receive them. Under the provisions of the bill. special immigration visas would be available annually for 4 years to each country of the Eastern Hemisphere. The number of available visas would be equal to 75 percent of the 195565 average of immigrant visas issued. less the number of visas issued during the preceding year. The bill would also provide additional visas for Immigrants in the "fifth preference." the brothers and sisters of U.S. citizens. In summary. Mr. Chairman. this measure Is not In any way intended to return us to our former National Origins Preference System. it will correct hardships that were inadvertently Imposed upon once priviliged nations and it will serve to wholesomely unite unhappily separated family members and relatives. It is a just and rightful extension of our traditional immigration policy and I hope it is given the speedy and resounding approval of the House that I believe it eminently merits.