Speech #960255081

However. without quotas. a greater hardship would be worked upon the citizens of this country. Sixth. my amendment would establish the principle that there are limitations to the resources of the United Statesthat we can only be expected to do our fair share but no more. For too long our immigration policy has been dominated by foreign policy considerations. We must now begin thinking more about domestic. economic. and social considerations. Domestic problems such as high unemployment. excessive Federal spending. inflation. energy shortages. and poverty must be given first priority. Seventh. it will send a strong message to foreign governments. potential immigrants. and the U.S. enforcement agencies that Congress expects our immigration laws to be enforced. It can be the first step in a comprehensive immigration program which brings reasonableness back into the immigration system. A vital component of any immigration system is a law which is enforced and which is respected. Eighth. the amendment will force other countries to begin doing more of their fair share in caring for the worlds - refugees. As long as the United States is t willing to do more than its fair share. others will stand by and let us do so. This s is obvious from the resettlement figures of Indochinese refugees and our inability to secure the assistance of other countries in admitting more than a token - share of the Cuban refugees. Mr. President. my amendment is generous and reasonable as an immigration policy. I see the distinguished Senator from Georgia in the Chamber. and he has asked for recognition. The other day. as chairman of the Committee on Agriculture. Nutrition. and Forestry. he presided over a session of the committee in which we were forced to cut from the school lunch program $500 million in order to get within our budget restraints. We took $500 million out of the mouths of poor children in this country. and that half billion dollars Will be used to pay for the Cuban refugees who have come in. at the instigation of Fidel Castro. until the end of this fiscal year. So we are talking about fiscal implications here that are substantial. I yield at this time to the distinguished Senator from Georgia.