Speech #960190578

Mr. Speaker. I joined yesterday with my colleagues JULIAN DIXON and HENRY WAXMAN in introducing legislation amending the Immigration and Nationality Act to end the discriminatory exclusion of aliens solely on the basis of their sexual preference. While we would have preferred that this exclusionary policy. be changed administratively. recent determinations by the Justice Department indicate that congressional action is netessary to eliminate this unjust and outmoded policy. The 1952 Immigration and Nationality Act and its subsequent amendments required the INS to deport or refuse to issue isas to aliens in 31 cat. egories. including "psychopathic persohality" and "sexual deviation." Each of these two categories was enacted at least partially fn order to exclude homosexuals from entry into this country. In making this determination of unfitness. Congress on each occasion relied on prevailing medical and psychiatric -opinion. which then viewed homosexuality as a transmittable mental disorder.