Madam President. first. let me thank the majority leader for his willingness to bring this matter before the Senate in this timely fashion. I deeply appreciate that. I also thank Senator STROM THURMOND. without whose support and assistance we would never have prevailed in two previous immigration reform efforts. He has been absolutely an extraordinary helpmate to me in this issue. Let me also pay my respects to my colleague. the ranking minority member of the subcommittee. Mr. KENNEDY. who has been through the wars with me on immigration reform. indeed who chaired this very subcommittee I chair. He chaired it for 12 years. dealt with the tough issues of refugee numbers. the heavy issues of legal immigration. He was instrumental in making the changes which moved the United States away from the national quota legislation which was in effect before 1965. He has had my great admiration and regard as we have dealt with this issue. I appreciate it. It is a tough one for him. Madam President. this is the third time. the third goround in rodeo parlance. that I have stood before this body to begin debate on a major immigration reform bill. I spoke on behalf of S. 2222 in 1982 when that bill was debated on the floor for 3 days and passed by a vote of 80 to 19. The equivalent House bill was reported. but no vote was taken.
Keywords matched
immigration refugee