Speech #930057025

I rise in opposition to Reorganization Plan .No. 2. When this plan was first submitted to the Congress. I was extremely -concerned by the proposed transfer of 900 immigration inspectors -to the Bureau of Customs. thereby placing the entire port of entry function within the Customs Bureau. While I am not in disagreement with the idea of concentrating all drug enforcement efforts within the Department of Justice. I was opposed to the transfer of immigration inspectors out of the Department of Justice since this transfer would severely hamper the Immigration and Naturalization Services efforts to control the illagal alien problem. For over 2 years my Subcommittee on Immigration -and Nationality has been studying the illegal alien problem and just last month the House passed a bill designed to eliminate tbis serious problem. Therefore. I believe the original plan to be quite inconsistent in that the administration supports the socalled illegal alien bill. H.R. 982. and at the same time they proposed to drastically reduce the already depleted Immigration and Naturalization Services work force. which is responsible for controlling this problem. Our hearings clearly revealed that the Service is greatly understaffed -and has been continuously plagued by a severe lack of funding as a result of the actions of both the Department of Justice and the Office of Management and Budget. Yet we now see OMB at this late date2 years after the commencement of our -hearingscoming forward with promises to actively consider the budgetary problems confronting the Immigration and Naturalization Service. Furthermore. the procedures which we are being asked to follow to preverit the transfer of INS personnel to Customs are unprecedented. We are today asked to support the reorganization plan based upon the contingency that subsequent legislation will be enacted to revoke section 2 of the plan. This lthhour move in itself is clear Indication that this plan was hastily drafted and illconceived and it is an apparent admission as to the weaknesses and inadequacies of this plan. I would urge my colleagues to reject the administrations plan in order that Congress may take the Initiative in drafting its own plan after detailed consideration is given to all the ramifications of concentrating all drug enforcement efforts in one division of the Department of Justice. I wish to also state that Iam extremely pleased by the extensive -discussion which has been engendered by -this reorganization plan with respect to stemming the illegal alien problem. I am hopeful that the discussion here today will convince OMB and the Department -of Justice as to the need for greater funding and manpower for the INS.