Speech #1010217396

Chairman. I rise in opposition to this amendment. and in support of H.R. 4300. It is time we recognize that the number of people wishing to emigrate to the United States is evidence that America is still the land of dreams for the world. Because the United States is a land of opportunity. a land of freedom. a land of liberty. people the world over wish to emigrate here. This is not something to bemoan. but instead something to be proud of. And without our history of open immigration. you and I would have less opportunity. less freedom. and less liberty. Immigrants do not hurt our country. do not take jobs from us. do not take from the Government. Rather. they invigorate our country. enrich our economy. and ennoble our Government. Studies have found. including a study by the Labor Department. that immigration does not cause unemployment or a drop in wages. Immigrants create jobs by starting new businesses. by spending in the marketplace. by investing the capital they bring with them to this country. According to another study by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. immigrants use less social services than U.S.-born residents. And. according to a study by Julian L. Simon of the University of Maryland. over their lifetimes. immigrants pay $12.000 to $20.000 more in taxes than they use in social services. With the labor shortages we are expected to face. and with the economic spur that immigrants provide. we should be forever thankful that the world wants to come to America. We should also remember that historically immigration is not at a high level right now. As a percent of the U.S. population. Immigration is five times lower than peak immigration rates. In fact. the U.S. immigration rate of 3 immigrants per 1.000 citizens ranks us behind Australia. Canada. Germany. Sweden. Switzerland. and the United Kingdom. H.R. 4300 promotes jobrelated immigration. but it also recognizes the moral and social value of family reunification Immigration. For promoting immigration which brings in family members is a moral. a social. and an economic virtue. It should not be U.S. policy to separate parent from child. husband from wife. As sociologists and economists bemoan the breakup of the traditional family structure. our immigration policy should not seek to separate families. Once again. let me cite the Department of Labor. which reports that the family unit often takes the place of Government assistance in providing a safety net for Immigrants. Mr. Chairman. America is a nation of Immigrants. Each generation of immigrants adds a new dimension to our Nations character and wellbeing. I urge my colleagues to defeat this amendment. and to support H.R. 4300.