Speech #970120809

I think such a law would serve the best interest of the United States. the international organizations. and the men. women. and children who live here. United Nations SecretaryGeneral Kurt Waldheim wrote to me last year and told me that a decision by the U.S. Government to extend such a privilege would represent "... . yet another expression of the . . . humanitarian traditions of this great country." My amendment would confer special immigration status on widows. widowers. retirees. and children who have resided in the United States for many years. should they seek such status. In 1979. I introduced a billS. 1566that was very similar to my amendment. That bill was incorporated into the larger Immigration and Naturalization Efficiency Act. S. 1763. and was favorably reported to the Senate floor by the Judiciary Committee. On the House side. the Immigration Subcommittee adopted a provision of the omnibus bill that dealt with the same issue as my bill. but it was dropped on the House floor because of procedural objections. I regret that the press of business during the last days of the 96th Congress prevented us from talking final action on these bills. but I am encouraged by the fact that the failure of action was prompted primarily by procedural problems not related to the substance of my amendment. This year we are all trying again.