U.S. wages are often 10 or 15 times as high. Madam President. in an earlier time the Nation could welcome millions of newcomers. Immigration is our heritage. That is something that I do not want to see us ever come up short on. So in that earlier time we welcomed millions. many of whom brought few skills but did bring a willingness to work very hard. In a smaller America. with a laborintensive economy. with simpler technology and a labor shortage. that was often quite enoughthat plus their intense drive to become Americans. Legal immigrants can still greatly benefit America. but only if they are in an appropriate number and selected within that number on the basis of reunification of immediate family and skills which would truly serve the interest of a highly developed Nation. Madam President. the major purpose of this bill is to make progress toward the day when the American people can be assured that the numerical limitations and selection criteria contained in the immigration statutes are actually implemented through adequate enforcement. The potential benefits and protections of even the most carefully designed statutory standards for determining who may enter the United States. as well as for how long and under what conditions they may remain. will not be available In practice If those statutory standards cannot be enforced. Madam President. at this time I shall briefly review the provisions of S. 1200 I ask unanimous consent that a somewhat more extensive summary be printed in the RECORD at the conclusion of my remarks.
Keywords matched
Immigration immigration immigrants