Speech #1010020041

Mr. President. I am piesed to cosponsor S. 448. legislation introduced by Senator SIMON to reform our legal system of admitting Immigrants to the United States. Two years ago. Congress passed landmark legislation on illegal immigration. Today. I rise to support a bill to assist those who wait patiently to come into the United States legally. Immigration is one of the keys to Americas dynamism and success. Senator SIMONS bill strengthens Americas generous immigration policies while maintaining the family as the cornerstone of U.S. Immigration. There are a number of features of Senator SIMONs bill that I find particularly attractivesome of which. in fact. I called for when the Senate discussed legal immigration reform last year. First. S. 448 maintains our current policy of unlimited visas for immediate relatives of U.S. citizens. Second. the Simon bill doubles the number of visas in the second preference categoryspouses and children of permanent residents. Under current law. the waiting period for obtaining a visa for those In this category can be up to 12 years. Third. S. 448 increases by onefourth the number of visas available under the fifth preference. This category allows U.S. citizens to petition for their adult brothers and sisters to come to the United States. Fifth preference. however. Is already heavily subscribed and the waiting period for a visa in some Asian nations Is as long as 15 years. Finally. Senator SIMONs legislation provides for 54.000 new independent visas to be allocated according to a point system. The proposed system would give points for an applicants age. education. job skills. and other factors. This category would give an opportunity to those who live in countries that are underrepresented in our current immigration flow. Mr. President. I think that S. 448 offers a sensible approach to immigration reform. It is my sincere hope that the features of this bill that I have discussed today will be incorporated in the legal immigration reform that Congress enacts@