Speech #1010043928

The Senator from Pennsylvania suggested it be the 630.000 figure that would result and does result in the amendment that is before us today. and it makes good sense. I hope it is adopted. The question that we should keep in mind as we discuss legal immigration is not total numbers or numbers for each category. but whether those individuals represented in those numbers and categories have meritorious arguments for being allowed to come into the United States. In my opinion. we should have a balance between allowing immigration based on family reunification and allowing immigration based on other reasons such as the benefit to our own Nation. and because of humanitarian reasons as well. Although S. 358 does attempt to strike this balance. I believe it errs in not including more visas for skilled and professional workers who are in short supply in the United States. The Specter amendment will add 30.000 visas to the legal immigration visas allowed under the present U.S. law. These additional visas will be equally divided between the third preference. which under S. 358 requires an immigrant to have an advanced degree or exceptional ability in the sciences. arts. or business. and the sixth preference. which are granted to skilled workers. These visas would only be available on an employersponsored basis and only after a certification by the Department of Labor that no U.S. workers are qualified or available to occupy a particular position. The Department will only issue such certification after a rigorous and thorough examination of the available pool of American workers. I believe that the amendment that my colleagie from Pennsylvania has offered and that I am joining him in today helps to achieve the stated purpose of S. 358. That purpose is to achieve a better balance between those who are allowed to immigrate to the United States because of family connections and those that are allowed to immigrate because their presence will in some way be beneficial to this Nation. I believe that both these categories. family connection and independent potential to contribute to the quality of life in the United States are important and are beneficial. but I believe that we should increase the number of immigrants chosen because their particular job skills are beneficial to the United States. I urge my colleagues in the Senate to support the Specter amendment. This is a good amendment.