S. 2222 is a good bill. Any controversial bill will contain language that is vigorously debated. and this bill was no exception. Senator SIMPSON and the members of the Immigration Subcommittee saw that a spirit of compromise was absolutely essential to getting this bill to the point it is at today. The best example of this spirit of understanding can be found in the legalization or amnesty provisions agreed to by the Senate. There was considerable disagreement as to how to treat the 4.5 to 7 million illegal aliens presently residing in this country. The compromise struck between Senators SIMPsoN. GRASSLEY. and others grants permanent resident status to aliens living here since 1977. and temporary resident status for those here since 1980. Further. no public assistance benefits are available to either class granted amnesty. with the exception of emergency assistance which would be funded by Federal block grants. It must be understood that without this compromise on amnesty. our immigration laws would have continued to allow an underground residency of illegal aliens. Mr. President. before S. 2222 came to the Senate Calendar for action. I heard the bill termed a "delicately balanced house of cards." In the past week. the Senate has carefully dismantled this "house." piece by piece. so that each part of the bill could be thoroughly examined. Today. by final passage. we have put this house back together. and I am confident that it can and will stand. I heartily commend Senator SIMPSON for preventing the winds of division from leveling the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1982. There were 31 amendments and almost 20 rollcall votes on this bill over the 3 full days S. 2222 was before the Senate. which puts the efforts of Senator SIMPSON as floor manager. and Senator KENNEDY as the ranking minority member of the Immigration Subcommittee. as perhaps the finest this session. I am hopeful the House will recognize the urgent need to act on this legislation. and in the process. to bring under control the raging immigration problems confronting our society and economy.*
Keywords matched
Immigration immigration illegal aliens