I thank both of my friends from Florida for their active intervention In this matter. I commend the former Governor of Florida for shedding light upon the history of SLIAG. Let me try to assist in that. because the initial effort to provide assistance was contained in an amendment which I offered on September 17. 1985. to the Immigration Reform Act. Without belaboring the point. it was to meet the objection that had arisen from those at the local level who foresaw the need to accommodate this newly legalized population in a way that would inevitably greatly increase their cost. So quite reasonably. because Immigration and naturalization Is a Federal function. and exclusively a Federal function. they felt that certainly at the very least a transition period was required during which the Federal Government would meet an obligation to the local government to reimburse in part the costs of the transition period during which these newly legalized citizens would be eligible to receive public assistance in several different forms. to ease that burden until such time as these new citizens were themselves integrated Into society. which was the plan of the socalled le. galization or amnesty provisions of the Immigration and Naturalization Reform Control Act. Out of that amendment. Mr.
Keywords matched
naturalization Immigration Naturalization