Speech #970133596

Mr. President. on October 13 the House passed by voice vote. H.R. 4327. the socalled immigration efficiency bill. That bill is now being held at the desk. Mr. President. on September 25 I introduced on behalf of myself and the other members of the Subcommittee on Immigration and Refugee Policy a very similar bill. S. 1663. These bills have two major purposes: First. improving the efficiency of the Immigration and Naturalization Service. and second. eliminating the need for Congress to consider certain categories of private immigration bills. The bills are supported by the Departments of Justice and State and I know of no current opposition by any grouppublic or private. Because of the urgency of the bill and its noncontroversial nature. I requested my colleagues on the Judiciary Committee to concur that the Housepassed bill should be held at the desk and then considered by this body directly. thus bypassing the usual committee deliberations. The bill does not deal with any of the controversial areas on which the Select Commission on Immigration and Refugee Policy made recommendations in April nor with subjects covered by the administrations proposed immigration reforms announced in July. Those controversial areas are being considered carefully by the subcommittee in a series of hearings and consultations which are. and have been. continually in progress. I intend to introduce a comprehensive immigration reform bill early in the next session of Congress. The immigration efficiency bll will enable the INS to shift over $2 million of its budget from activities with very little benefit to others which have more urgent impact. Mr. President. at this time I briefly summarize the major provisions of the bill.