Speech #1010042204

JACK BRooKs. who knows the issue well. being also from the State of Texas. There is HAMILTON FISH. the ranking member. There is Congressman SCHUMER. who has worked diligently with me and with Senator KENNEDY on issues of illegal immigration. and It was he who characterized what we should be doing in legal immigration as getting back to the classic immigrant definition. I like that phrasethe classic immigrant. The players are all there. I hope that our colleagues will support the legislation. I encourage our House colleagues to move in this Congress on the important issue of legal immigration reform. the second part of a package started some 8 to 10 years ago. under the Immigration Act of I submit it to you with my colleague from Massachusetts. I think this is a measure which is truly in the national interest. and that is what any immigration reform legislation should be aboutwhat is in our national interest. not in the interest of other countries. although we listen to them and try very clearly to be sensitive to what they are saying. It is important to understand that as we consider immigration or refugee policy or any kind of policy in the movement of human beings is that it is not just the fact that people around the world are ready to come. but that we must have a rational system of receiving them. We must do that in a humane and generous manner and we must have order. I think this bill gives us that order and is in our national interest.