Speech #990184082

Agriculture and Labor were attempting to come to a consensus. and in fact had come to a consensus. as to a statement of principles as early as September of last year. On September 9 of last year. Attorney General Edwin Meese III testified in support of the bill before the House Subcommittee on Immigration. Naturalization and International Law. He said at that time: "I begin my testimony by emphasizing that both President Reagan and I have been strongly committed to comprehensive immigration reform." In September of that year. the Senate adopted the SimpsonMazzoli bill. with the Wilson guestworker amendment. On October 9. 1985. testimony before the House Subcommittee on Immigration. Refugees. and International Law was presented by William Bradford Reynolds. representing the Department of Justice. and at that time they again reiterated their support for the immigration reform package. On November 19. 1985. the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration. Naturalization and International Law reported H.R. 3810 to the full committee. The reason why the House Judiciary Subcommittee did not report prior to that time is interesting. the chairman of our subcommittee. trying to create a consensus. had basically deferred to those who said that if we were to just give them a little more time. they would work out a consensus agreement on the agricultural question and therefore it would not be controversial and we might be able to move the bill on. The chairman of our subcommittee. the gentleman from Kentucky [Mr.