Speaker. today I am joining House Judiciary Committee Chairman PETER W. RODINO. JR.. in introducing a comprehensive immigration reform proposal which is patterned closely after the measure this body courageously passed June 20 of last year. It includes sanctions against employers who knowingly hire undocumented aliens. a legalization program for some undocumented aliens who are now In the United States. and a temporary foreign agricultural worker program. I wish I could ensure my colleagues that this an easy. noncontroversial bill. It is not. Those of my colleagues who served in the 98th Congress during those stressful and emotionladen days in June 1984 when the House debated the immigration reform bill and passed it by a cliffhanging. fivevote margin can verify that immigration reform is not a legislative piece of cake. But. thats understandable. The bill attempts to deal fairly. effectively. and humanely with a problem which itself is not a piece of cake either: massive illegal entry into this country. Unless Congress acts now to resolve the serious national problem of illegal immigration. our Nations traditional. generous. and humane legal immigration program could collapse amid backlash. frustration. and resentment. The Congress cannot duck this issue. because the United States. as a nation. cannot duck this issue. We must deal with It.
Keywords matched
undocumented immigration illegal immigration