Speech #1010044331

In short. I appreciate the active participation of those two fine Members on the other side of the aisle as we worked on these tough. tough issues with the other Senate colleagues who participated. I am pleased that independent immigration has been increased. That was a necessary and important goal of this bill. We have provided for additional business visas. We have a new point system for immigrants with no ties at all to this country. Finally. we have a mechanism in place to give greater control over immigration levels to the peoples elected representatives. the President and the Congress. However. there are a number of amendments to this bill that I bave significant concern with in every way. I am most disappointed that the concept of an overall national level of immigration was weakened severely by the HatchDeConcini amendment. I also think we embarked on a very dangerous path by granting what I perceive as a kind of de facto second amnesty to the illegal family of those persons who qualified for the original amnesty programthe people who are in legal status who are already here do not have that benefit. I think the American public will not be enthused when they really hear what that one did. We will hear from permanent resident aliens who have been waiting for their spouses and children to join them for years who have not received that benefit. Perhaps we will have to revisit that question. But I am pleased at least that the independent immigration was increased. although I do not believe it was wise to do so by taking it beyond the 22percent increase in the original proposal. I am also discouraged that we did not reinsert the points in the point system for English language. as it pertains to only 9 percent of the huge number of new visas. 630.000 in this bill. I think that is something that would have served the immigrants well and our country quite well. I think you will see that revisited as we deal with Hong Kong. and English proficiency. All in all.