Speech #960183659

I rise in opposition to the amendment. Mr. Chairman. this is simply a backhanded method of saying that we are not going to admit more than 50.000 refugees in any year. That is in essence the thrust of this amendment. This amendment would set a limit on the number of refugees who would be admitted to this country regardless of the circumstances around the world. because it says that we will pit any additional refugees that we take against the reunification of families. In short it says that if we want to let more refugees in. we must prevent immigrants from coming into the United States. Eighty percent of the immigrants coming into this country are coming in for the reunification of families. This country signed a treaty at Helsinki to facilitate the reunification of families. What this amendment says is that we will dishonor our obligations under Helsinki in order to take refugees. or. if we want to honor our obligations under Helsinki. we will cut down on the number of refugees we can take. What kind of absurd dilemma is this to put the United States in at this time? We certainly have room to allow normal immigration to the United States. We certainly have room to admit refugees under the procedures established by this bill. We should not set up any kind of system by which we pit the entry of refugees against the reunification of families. Mr. Chairman.