Speech #1010057165

I commend my colleagues In the Congress for the efforts undertaken thus far to get that message across to the Chinese Government. Sadly. our daily newspaper accounts since June 3 do not indicate that the Chinese leadership has heard the International communitys pleas for moderation and an end to violence and suppression. A New York Times article of July 17 states that. according to a senior official. "authorities circulated an internal memorandum last month saying arrests and sentences would continue but should no longer be publicized." The Immigration and Naturalization Service reports that our country Is currently hosting 73.000 Chinese students as well as 309.000 other Chinese nationals who are in the United States on nonimmigrant visas. The current climate in China makes it inconceivable that any Chinese national should be forced to return to China under the present circumstances. I commend the administration for announcIng on June 6 that the U.S. Attorney General has authorized an Extended Deferred Departure Program [EDD] which allows Chinese nationals to stay in the United States until at least June 5. 1990. Unfortunately. acceptance of EDD status makes individuals ineligible for visa adjustment or application for permanent resident status. Many Chinese have been reluctant to take advantage of the EDD Program for that reason. Because of that situation. I am pleased to join my colleagues. in the House today in passing H.R. 2712. a bill which clarifies the scope and application of the automatic 1year extension authorized by the Attorney General. H.R. 2712 provides that the EDD status would be modified to allow Chinese nationals. if otherwise eligible. to change status within nonimmigrant categories and to apply for permanent resident status if they qualify. The legislation further provides for a blanket waiver of the J1 exchange visitors visas 2year return resident requirement for Chinese nationals. Nearly 70 percent of Chinese students in the United States hold "J" type visas. which require that the holder return to his/her home country for at least 2 years before they would be eligible for any other type of American visa. Further. I am one of four original cosponsors of additional legislation which seeks to build on H.R. 2712.