Speech #930121245

I would like to add one further comment. The subcommittee is paying particular attention to and is exercising its oversight jurisdiction. We have had hearings regarding the administration of the Immigration and Nationality Act by the Department of State. and the Immigration and Naturalization Service. Furthermore. there is a continuing investigation as part of our oversight investigation into the principal visa issuing posts. one of which is Santo Domingo. One factor in the flow of illegals from the Dominican Republic is the existing Western Hemisphere immigration system which imposes long waiting periods on applicants seeking to join relatives already in the United States in legal status. These people come illegally rather than wait their turns on the waiting list. H.R. 981. the present bill before us. and which I hope will be rapidly passed by the other body. and be signed by the President. will eliminate or reduce significantly this problem by establishing a preference system for the Western Hemisphere. thus enabling the relatives to immigrate legally rather than illegally. I suggest that the enactment of H.R. 982 should go a long way toward reducing hiring of illegal aliens. even possibly eliminating the problem.