Mr. Chairman. I would observe that under the gentlewomans amendment all she does in effect is raise the maximum possible immigration for the Western Hemisphere from 120.000 to 150.000. This is very interesting. I will advise the Members that there are 118 Eastern Hemisphere countries and only 26 Western Hemisphere countries. Her proposal would depart from the committee position that immigration levels should not be increased. The Western Hemisphere. Mr. Chairman. exclusive of the United States. contains only 9 percent of the worlds population. yet it receives 41 percent of the visas which are allocated worldwide. In other words. the population ratio between the Eastern and Western Hemispheres would seem to justify a reduction. not an increase. in the Western Hemisphere ceiling. The committee ultimatelyand it might be in the next Congressis desirous of eventually establishing a numerically unified worldwide ceiling. Therefore. increased immigration from the Western Hemisphere now would ultimately lead to a higher worldwide ceiling. Obviously. this is not the mood of the country or the Congress. There is no way. Mr. Chairman. to estimate the demand for immigration from the Western Hemisphere under a preference system. We should wait and see what the experience of the Western Hemisphere will be under the preference system before deciding what hemispheric and worldwide ceilings are warranted. And if. in the next Congress. assuming that this bill becomes law. there seems to be need for what the gentlewoman is recommending. we can take it up at that time along with legislation which might provide a worldwide ceiling on immigration.
Keywords matched
immigration visas