Speech #970224065

This is hardly a significant number. and will not result in the huge backlogs that have developed in recent years. In any case. I do not believe the existence of a backlog in a certain immigration category should be the basis for eliminating it. We should judge the category on the merits. whether it serves to foster family reunification. Eliminating the fifth preference entirely. as this bill does. is contrary to those family reunification goals. and I hope the Senate will support my amendment to restore the opportunity for unmarried brothers and sisters of U.S. citizens to join their families in our country. For many reasons which have been pointed out in the discussion of the earlier amendment and for the reasons I outlined in my opening statements. if we do not accept this amendment. we are placing an extremely harsh and unfair burden on those families who were severely and adversely affected prior to the enactment of the 1965 act. which were limited by the national origins quota system and the Asian Pacific triangle. and who have not had the opportunity that other groups have had in our society to be able to reunify their families in the United States.