Speech #1010043957

He discussed this amendment in the Judiciary Committee. Also Senator HELMS has discussed his proposal. I am reluctant-"torn" would be a good wordon this because it is an issue of raising the national level of immigration. For that reason I would have to oppose it. I may be wrong and I think the debate is showing me some fascinating things and I like to learn and I am. Is the American public perhaps ready for unrestrained legal immigration? I did not think that. I still think if we had a vote on that. whether the people of the United States prefer unrestrained. uncontrolled. legal immigration. that that would not succeed. Yet slowly that is what we are doing here. We have already increased the immigration levels by over 20 percent in this bill. 22 percent. With the Hatch amendment. HatchDeConcini. the number of immigrants admitted will grow each year. We still have our studies and our reports from the President. In those circumstances. I just do not believe we should raise it any more significantly. I assure you. however. I am not opposed to providing more visas to independent immigrants. I like that idea. I think we ought to be doing more and more of that. So. the more the better with regard to the independent immigrants. the point system grants. people who bring special skills and abilities. people then in the family reunification who are closest family: spouses and children. Not nieces and nephews and brothers and sistersinlaw. That is where we have gone now down that road. And I have already indicated that. So I do not have a bit of a problem furnishing new visas and I have indicated that in a "Dear Colleague" letter. But any increase in businessrelated immigration must come within the existing level. That is my feeling. the existing level in the bill. And. in addition. any such increase must not simply steal numbers from the point system but it has to also get some numbers from the family and independent immigrant categories when reallocating. You cannot do it to one and leave the others out. I would be glad to discuss any compromise with the sponsors. We have a seconddegree amendment. We will come to that under the order. But if the only proposal from the sponsors is to violate what I think are the wishes of most Americans and increase immigration by 30.000 visas above the KennedySimpson original 22percent increase to the immigration levels. I regretfully must vote against the amendment and encourage colleagues to do the same. I think I have stated my conflict in that area.