Speech #990278907

Speaker. House Resolution 592 waives points of order against the conference report on S. 1200. and against consideration of the report. The report. which was filed last night. is a landmark reform measure that prohibits the hiring of illegal aliens and offers legal status to several million aliens already in the country. The rule makes the conference report on S. 1200. the Immigration Control and Reform Act of 1986. in order and waives all points of order that would otherwise lie against the report and against its consideration. The rule also provides that the conference report shall be considered as ready when called up for consideration. Mr. Speaker. the conference report made in order by this rule makes major. substantive changes in our Nations immigration laws. Those who have been attempting to get this bill passed for the last several years say it makes the biggest changes in the law in at least 20 years. When the House passed H.R. 3810 last week. I voted against the bill because it extended a form of amnesty to millions of illegal aliens who were in this country on January 1. 1982. I am sorry to say that the House managers are bringing back a conference report that contains those provisions. the provisions that will allow between 12 and 20 million illegal aliens to apply forand receivelegal status. Mr. Speaker. this measure is still as controversial as it was 2 weeks ago. when the House refused to consider it. The conferees have reached an agreement. and in doing so they were apparently unable to improve upon the bill the House passed in rather short order last week. The conference report made in order by this rule at least does still contain the civil and criminal provisions which prohibit employers from hiring illegal aliens. as a way to more adequately control our borders. I submit. however. that the House should not rush to judgment on this report simply because the House managers were able to reach an agreement in nearrecord time. The bill appropriates over $1 billion a year for the next 4 years to State agencies for the cost of supplying public assistance or other benefits to illegal aliens. Mr. Speaker. when the Committee on Rules granted this rule late yesterday afternoon. we did not even have a copy of the conference report available to us.