Speech #1010224740

Mr. President. it is interesting to note that the occupant of the chair has been working with me as we have dealt with this issue of legal immigration. I still very much hope that we might be able to resolve it all an come up with a bill with regard to legal immigration in the United States. Perhaps that is possible. Perhaps it is not. Last night we made some goodfaith overtures on both sides of the aisle. and on both sides of the Capitol. to attempt to resolve the difficulties in getting a legal immigration bill. Obviously. there are tremendous pressures and tremendous differences. and that is the essence of "endofasession" activity. I Just want the record to reflect thatand it largely comes from what I thought was a rather extraordinary editorial in this mornings Wall Street Journal with a marvelous logo of the Statute of Liberty with a "no vacancy" sign under it and a great big circle with a slash across it and a picture portraying the unique baldness of the Senator from Wyoming. It is called "Stonewall Simpson." I ask unanimous consent that it be printed in the record. But I have a few more comments about the Wall Street Journal. one of the most inept publications. I know when it comes to understanding Immigration policy or what the Congress has been up to on that subject. In our work in the preconference on legal immigration reform last night. on October 11. 1990. I made the following offer to the House. and in my proposal. I proposed an annual national level of legal immigration of 675.000 visas. That is far and above what I had proposed in my original legislation and above what was proposed in the legislation which was called the KennedySimpson legislation. That figure of 675.000 visas a year is an increase of 35 percent over current law and an increase of 45.000 visas over the Senate bill. I think that Is an extraordinary outreach toward compromise on the part of this Senator. It was also a requirement that all of the visas over the 630.000 level in the Senate bill45.000would go to skilled immigrantsskilled immigrants. Sometimes those have been referred to as classic immigrants. sometimes special immigrants. sometimes those with "supplemental skills and abilities." There are many definitions. but skilled immigrants or "employer based" immigrants is yet another phrase. That is exactly what the Council of Economic Advisers of this President have suggested. I also offered to allow the overall level of immigration to be "pierced." so to speak. to ensure that the current immigration of the immediate families of citizens and Immigrants could continue. It is very important to remember that in those areas we do not even "keep score. as to the number of the immediate families of citizens and immigrants who come to our generous country. The potential House conferees insisted upon a sunset of the bill. and I said I could not abode a sunset of the bill. It is difficult enough to deal with it at any time. but it seems to me that we could have dealt with it year to year as it came up. and we would have had every ability to do that because we had a commission set up and Presidential reports. providing guidance to the Congress. expedited procedures. and much more so that we could never again let it go on and on without attention. and we would have given it attention as it came up each and every year.