Speech #930120758

Mr. Chairman. since the enactment of the 1965 Immigration Amendments. experience has made clear the necessity for certain modifications. particularly with reference to the Western Hemisphere. The imposition of a numerical ceiling upon the Western Hemisphere for the first time resulted from Senate amendments in 1965 to the legislation originating in the House of Representatives to phase out the most favored nation Immigration policy. As a consequence. no preference system was established for immigrants for the Western Hemisphere. This bill. H.R. 981. addresses this second of the two most pressing problems In the field of immigration. H.R. 982. passed by the House May 3. 1973. attacked the first problem. to reduce sharply the flood of illegal aliens into this country. This bill. H.R. 981. will correct an inequity in our present law which has operated unfairly to the disadvantage of natives of the Western Hemisphere. With these two bills. the Immigration. Citizenship. and International Law Subcommittee of the Judiciary has provided a constructive and logical package to resolve our present day immigration needs. H.R. 981 applies to the Western Hemisphere the same preference system as has worked so well since 1965 for the Eastern Hemisphere. When H.R. 981 is enacted into law. natives of every country in the world will qualify for admission under the same selective systemthe system which gives preference in the issuance of visas to close relatives of U.S. citizens and permanent resident aliens. and to aliens with skills needed in our country. Mr. Chairman. this bill will do away with the last vestige of discrimination whereby an alien from one country can have an advantage over the natives of another country.