Speech #990183191

In the closing hours of the conference. an attempt was made to craft a compromise that would have wrapped together this issue with reimbursement to the States in an effort to broaden support for a compromise. When this attempt collapsed. the conference itself dissolved. I want to make it clear: The demise of immigration reform legislation in the 98th Congress had absolutely nothing to do with the agricultural issue. When the 99th Congress began. immigration reform legislation was once again introduced with provisions to reform the H2 Programa regulatory maze. which currently comprises that small part of the foreign agricultural work force that happens to be in our country legally. When the Senate finished work on the bill. it had even added a fullfledged Guestworker Program known as the Wilson amendment. I should add that this followed a similar program that had been adopted by this body in the prior Congress known as the PanettaMorrison amendment. which passed by a vote of 228 to 172a 56vote marginin this House.