Speech #970133604

Mr. President. the immigration efficiency bill. was passed by the House on October 13 by voice vote and 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 amend certain provisions of the Immigration and Nationality Act. for the purpose of improving the efficiency of the Immigration and Nationality Service and eliminating the need for Congress to consider certain categories of private immigration bills. The bill would enable the INS to shift $2 million of its budget from activities with very little benefit to other activities which have more urgent functions. Because of the urgency of the bill and its noncontroversial nature. I have asked my colleagues on the Judiciary Committee to agree that the House passed bill should be held at the desk and then considered by this body directly. bypassing the usual committee deliberations. The amendment I am introducing would make certain improvements in H.R. 4327. and is reflective of the bill I introduced along with my colleagues on the Subcommittee on Immigration and Refugee Policy. Each of the parts of this amendment has been cleared by the interested parties in the House and thus will not result in a HouseSenate conference. The first aspect of the amendment concerns the certain relief provisions in the bill which benefit those who have committed the offense of "simple possession" of marihuana. The bill would eliminate the absolute bar to naturalization and authorize the Attorney General. in his discretion. to waive exclusion or deportation for the immediate relatives of a U.S. citizen or permanent resident in cases of extreme hardship. I believe the amount of marihuana in possession should be only a very limited amount and be properly defined in the bill. The amendment would require that the quantity of marihuana be 30 grams or less. It would also clarify that the amendment would cover a single offense only. Repeat offenders would not be protected. It would also narrow the provision providing relief from deportation to cover only parents. spouses. and minor unmarried sons or daughters of U.S. citizens and permanent residents. in other words. the nuclear family. Adult or married sons or daughters would not be covered. This would make it more conmistent with the suspension of deportation provisions now in the law in section 244 as well as with the general policy that it is the "nuclear family"-those who normally live together in one unitwhich deserves the most generous treatment. Mr. President. the second part of my amendment would replace section 11 of the bill. The new section 11 would repeal entirely the mandatory annual alien registration program and provide the AG discretion to require the registration of immigrants or nonimmigrants of any one or more foreign states. or of any class or group thereof. At the present time such registration forms are not adequately utilized and the INS has asked that the requirement be repealed. The savings has been estimated at $800.000 per year. less the cost of any registrations which the AG may require in his discrecjon. ihe House bill would retain the requirement with respect to nonimmigrants only.