Speech #1010216559

That is a provision that was so controversial that there was an agreement made at that time that that would be a once and only amnesty. There would be no more because of this magnet effect. and here we are today talking about not one. but two. amnesty provisions in H.R. 4300. The second amnesty provision basically says. "If you have come to this country and overstayed your travel visa. and youre now here illegally. and you happen to be from one of 35 socalled disadvantaged or oppressed countries. countries like Japan. and France. and so on. you could stay here forever." Well. Mr. Chairman. that is special Interest legislation at its best. Supposedly. in 1965 we took discrimination out of our immigration laws. What this bill does is to put discrimination back in. and it gives amnesty to illegal aliens. to countries that benefited from the discrimination of the pre1965 law. Mr. Chairman. there are a number of studies that have been conducted. Some have endorsed more immigration. Some have opposed any substantial increase in immigration. But I do not know of any study that has unequivocally endorsed this bill. H.R. 4300. because of its dramatic increase in immigration. 60 percent in the next few years. Every study that I am aware of that has endorsed an increase in immigration along the lines of H.R. 4300 has always conditioned their findings. Either they are talking about continued economic expansion being necessary to accommodate those individuals. or they use old data. Mr. Chairman. let me read excerpts from a book by Julian Simon who is considered sort of the guru of those who would want to dramatically increase immigration levels. and I say that here is an individual who is often cited as someone who favors the levels of. say. H.R. 4300. and yet this is what he says in his book: There is no doubt that workers in some industries suffer immediate injury from the addition of Immigrants in the same category. and he goes on and suggests that immigrants be chosen more for their economic characteristics and less on the basis of family connections. Mr. Chairman. that is exactly what I am saying. and that is exactly what the administration is saying. is give preference to those individuals who have the skills. who have the education. to be productive members of American society and help us compete in the international marketplace.