Speech #1010117021

President Bush has voiced his support for the efforts of the people of Eastern Europe to throw off the yoke of communism and achieve democratic reform in their countries. But his veto of this bill sends a contrary message to the millions of students and workers in China who are struggling for democracy in their country. This legislation would have protected the students from further intimidation by giving them 4 more years to apply for new visas or permanent residency and waiving the requirement that they first return to China for 2 years. The bill passed the House by a vote of 403 to 0 and the Senate by voice vote after similar language offered by Senator DoLz and myself in July had passed by a vote of 97 to 0. But more importantly. it was an affirmation of the dedication of our Nation to the principle of human rights and the right of people everywhere to seek freedom and democracy. The Chinese Government threatened to stop the Student Exchange Program if the bill became law. So the President vetoed the bill. denying Chinese students in our country statutory legal protection against deportation and possible persecution. H.R. 2712 provides the Chinese students with assurance of continued lawful immigration status and waives the 2year home country residence requirement for Chinese nationals in the United States provided that within 4 years they file for change of status. After vetoing the legislation the President contended that it was not needed because on November 30 he issued a memorandum of disapproval which he contends does the same thing as the legislation. But the Presidents memorandum of disapproval is only an administrative action. It provides no statutory legal protection for the Chinese students and can be revoked by the President or the Attorney General at any time at their discretion. Such an administrative action may also be open to a court challenge. Several of the Presidents administrative actions may be inconsistent with current immigration statutes. Only legislative changes in current law would unquestionably exempt Chinese students from existing statutes. The administration has dispatched two high level secret missions to China and contends that the same Chinese leaders who ordered the Tiananmen Square massacre are responding in a positive manner as a result of those covert visits.