Speech #960255126

The distinguished Senator from Missouri brings out some very cogent points about setting any limits at any time on the number of people that come to this country. whether it is through the Immigration or whether it is through the refugee process. I think some things need to be brought out. First of all. I do not look at it as a moral forfeiture of the United States that we should set some limits some time. This country has demonstrated time and time again to be extremely generous with refugees and immigrants and I do not have any apologies if this great land of ours decides that enough is enough. There are estimated some 14 million refugees in the world today. My heart cries out for them. because they cannot * feed themselves and their families. many of them will starve to death. Is it the moral obligation for the United States to take every one of those. or 50 percent of those? Naturally. it would be great and most humanitarian if we could take every one of those refugees. In reality. this country cannot absorb everyone who wants to come here. whether it is a refugee or an immigrant. I daresay that in the Southern Hemisphere a large percentage of the people there would be delighted to come to the United States if there were no limits or conditions on emigrating to this country. And we know why. We know that because of the economics of this land. because of the job opportunities. because of the freedoms of individual rights. this is more attractive than any other country in the world today. I think the United States need not hold its head down if we place some limits. This issue has been debated for some time. The last Congress. through a public law. created the Select Commission on Immigration and Refugee Policy and it charged it with several particular things to do. One is to study the laws presently that are on the books. One is to study the numbers and the process that is used both for refugees and immigrants. to study the court systems for appeal of those decisions and to come up with a report and recommendations both to the President and to the Congress. That Commission has acted or is in the process of acting today. Just this morning the Commission had its fourth official meeting where we discussed numbers as well as had received many other reports. Last night the Commission met again at a 31/2hour dinnerworking session and discussed numbers and three different possible plans that would set some priorities and some kind of status for immigrants and others who want to come into the United States. There is no question we have been flooded recently with some disasters in other countries. We have not. in my judgment. exercised the greatest leadership in having some kind of a policy and determination from the executive branch. Part of that is the problem of Congress for not enacting some laws and not doing away with the antiquated quota system that we have had for many years. In the year 1980. so far this year. the best estimate is that 798.000 people have come into this country. refugees and under the quota system and the nonquota system immigrants. That is a lot of people. And I am sure that. as well as the statistical data for 1979. 1978. and 1977. is the motivation or part of the motivation of the Senator from Kentucky to offer his amendment. I believe that the work of the Commission should be permitted to complete its tasks. to come forward to Congress and to the President with a sound recommendation that will hopefully be transmitted into legislation. will have the appropriate hearings. will have the chance to have debate in those committees. will have the chance to have amendments offered and debated. and ultimately have legislation offered on the floor of both Houses so that this country. once and for all. could set some national policy on the immigration and refugee status of people who want to come to the United States. There is nothing wrong in approaching it this way. The Commission has had 12 hearings throughout the United States.