Speech #980109055

Speaker. the efforts of the Speaker of the House. Mr. ONEILL. to kill any attempt to enact a comprehensive reform of our immigration laws is. I must say. most disheartening. Although he has attempted most recently to lay the blame on the White House doorstep. the ball is unmistakably in his own court. It appears now that for the second year in a row. while the Senate has moved to adopt immigration reform legislation. this House. through the Speaker. has sought to delay. block and finally kill any chance that this Nation might have to regain control over its borders. Speaker ONEILLs allusion to a likely Presidential veto is nothing more than a smokescreen. The further assertion that immigration reform legislation lacks general support is totally belied by all the facts. The SimpsonMazzoli immigration reform bill is a bipartisan embodiment of proposals that have evolved over the last 10 years of study by congressional hearings. the executive branch. and the Select Commission on Immigration Policy. The employer sanctions of the bill which proscribe the intentional employment of undocumented workers first arose as a result of the efforts of the chairman of the Committee on the Judiciary. Chairman PETER RODINO. in 1972. In fact. legislation containing this approach passed the House of Representatives during the 92d and 93d Congresses and received the continued support of both the Nixon and Ford administrations. The Carter administration followed with similar legislation that would have provided for similar penalties for the employment of undocumented aliens and a legalization program. It was also during that time that the Select Committee on Immigration under the leadership of Father Theodore Hesburgh. who incidentally has a rather outstanding and longstanding civil rights record. was formed. The commission recommendations also contained recommendations for employer sanctions. increased enforcement and a legalization. It is thus indisputable that a consensus has developed over what must be done to address the problem of illegal immigration. When the Reagan administration came into office in 1981 they lost little time in coming forth with a proposal for immigration reform of their own. Like its predecessors. this administration proposed a package that included employer sanctions and a legalization provision. In addition. when Senator SIMPSON and Congressman MAZZOLI introduced their comprehensive immigration reform proposal. the administration also expressed its support of the bipartisan alternative as necessary to our ability to formulate an effective policy. Since that time the administration officials have testified on the reform measure a total of 28 times. Mr. Speaker. I must say it is rather disheartening to appear here on this floor and hear some Members say we have to do something about immigration but this bill is not the way. What we have to do is forma consensus by a new commission? It is reported in the paper that the Hispanic Caucus has suggested in the House that we form a new study group to come up with a new approach.