Speech #980214582

I thank the gentlewoman for yielding. The reason why the committee rejected the amendment is that it is an amendment that again departs from the issue that we were studying. that we have studied for a period of years. It is true. as the gentleman from Nebraska recites. that there will be a need once legalization is in place. and implemented. but what we are dealing with now is a problem that we have studied. illegal immigration. I would say to the gentleman that it is important that we know what the effects of legalization may be. There is no question that we will deal with legal immigration policy now and hereafter. but it is tremendously important that we not reject the current policy which is one that has been working well and in the interests of this country. No legal immigrants that I know of have become a burden to the United States. They come in here. they qualify. they work. they produce families. Certainly we should not be indicting them now because there may be others in the future who may be legalized.