Speech #1010249427

Mr. Speaker. today I voted to approve the conference report on the first major reform of legal immigration in this country in 25 years. Our country was based on immigration and continues to benefit from the admission of immigrants who choose to come to the United States. This bill represents an attempt to strike a balance between the need to reunite families separated by unfair admission policies and the needs of our business and economic communities. While I support the majority of the provisions contained in this measure. I believe that one particular provision is contrary to our Immigration tradition. We have had many questionable exclusion policies applied over the years. our country has never permitted visas to a special class of Immigrants based on wealth. One section of this bill calls for permitting the admission of 10.000 individuals on the basis of their ability to create jobs. This creates a separate category of visas that decreases the number available for skilled workers and those with exceptional or extraordinary abilities or advanced degrees. The individual simply has to have money to invest. I support efforts to create and keep jobs In the United States. however. this section Is so contrary to our immigration tradition that it is perilously close to a "selling" of our citizenship. I am hopeful this policy will be reconsidered and not made a permanent part of immigration policy.