Speech #1010044325

I would like to make a few brief remarks before we vote on final passage of this legislation. Yesterday. I explained my concern regarding this legislation which wouldfor the first timeimpose a cap on family sponsored immigration. If enacted in its current form. this legislation will establish the precedent that under such a cap visas granted to the immediate relatives of U.S. citizens would be counted against the visas which would be available to other family connected immigrants. As I stated yesterday. I cannot support this precedent. Therefore. I cannot support this legislation. During the course of the debate on this legislation. we adopted an amendment which I believe will lessen the bills negative impact on family reunification efforts. I was very glad to see the HatchDeConcini amendment adopted which will at least establish that. under the cap. the visas available for family connected immigrants (other than immediate relatives of U.S. citizens) will not fall below the current level216.000. I was also very glad to see that the amendment offered by Senator CHAFEE to assure the unity of families under the legalization program authorized by the Immigration Reform Act of 1986 was adopted. This amendment was long overdue and I was glad to see that we were able to act finally to resolve this situation. And. of course. the amendment adopted to ease the situation for Chinese students currently residing in the United States is extremely important.