Speech #930129249

Mr. Speaker. I am today introducing eight bills of concern to immigrant Americans in general and of particular importance to Chinese Americans. The Organization of Chinese Americans. Inc.. to which I belong. was formed to bring about strong national input and improved opportunities for Chinese Americans. Its sponsors are aiming to promote active participation in civic and national life and secure justice and equal opportunities for persons of Chinese ancestry. The purposes of these bills is to repeal two laws that are now obsolete and can be viewed as racially insulting. to make it easier to unite Chinese American families by changing immigration laws. and erase anomalies that have arisen. Specifically. the eight bills would: Repeal the "coolie trade" laws. which were originally enacted to correct the exploitive practice of bringing Chinese and Japanese to the United States to be sold or transferred as servants and apprentices in the 19th century. The need for the laws has passed and the word "coolie" carries a demeaning connotation. Repeal the Bertillon system of identification. which was part of the Chinese exclusion laws. All have been repealed except this section. The system was used at ports of entry to determine race by physical measurements. Equalize the visa treatment of persons born in either the Eastern an. Western Hemispheres. Make parents of resident aliens eligible for second preference visas. Make sons and daughters of citizens and resident aliens. as well as spouses and parents. eligible for a waiver of exclusion. Make sons and daughters of citizens and resident aliens. as well as spouses and parents. eligible for a waiver of deportation. Enable persons over 50 years of age to take naturalization tests in his own language and waive the literacy test for persons over 60 years of age and who have resided in the United States for at least 20 years. Permit lawabiding citizens who have resided in the United States continuously since October 3. 1965. to make a record of lawful entry. Mr.