Speech #1010250309

Today I would like to achnowledge the distinguished chairman from Texas. Mr. BROOKS. for bringing the immigration reform package back today without the objectionable provision so that we will have some meaningful reform in the 101st Congress. Although the original legislation passed by this House was much better than what we are getting out of conference. I still find that the conference report represents an improvement over existing law and will. therefore support it. Among the various provisions in this legislation that I support. I would like to specifically highlight for my colleagues those concerning family reunification. the authorization calling for an additional 1.000 Border Patrol agents and the conference reports language that should help keep faith with the Federal Governments commitment to local governmental units during the enactment of the 1986 immigration reform package. These components of our present bill are important enough to outweigh the negative aspects of the legislation. First. the conference report reestablishes family reunification as the cornerstone of our Nations Immigration policy. Although I am concerned that family reunification provisions were reduced considerably from what was approved by the House. the conference report still provides for a permanent. though modest. increase in familybased immigration and for a temporary. special allocation of visas to facilitate the reunification of the newly legalized with their family members abroad. I would remind my colleagues that. due to a long backlog of applications. permanent residents must wait a minimum of 22 months to be reunited with their spouses and children. To frustrate the ability of immigrants to be with their close family members would betray our core American values. Consequently. family reunification should continue to be a primary concern in our Nations immigration law and that emphasis is maintained despite efforts to replace familybased immigration with skilled immigration. Although not perfect. the conference report strikes a reasonable compromise between family reunificaiton. divarsity. and employmentbased immigration. Moreover. I would like to point out the bill authorizes an Increase in the number of Border Patrol personnel by 1.000 in fiscal year 1991. In addition to stopping Illegal immigration. the Border Patrol was involved in close to 5.000 narcotics seizures valued at over $1 billion in only the first 6 months of fiscal year 1989. Both missions of the Border Patrol are important and should continue to be supported by Congress and the Bush administration. Moreover. Mr. ROYBAL and I have also been concerned about the need for the Federal Government to fulfill its commitment to State and local governmental units when the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986 was passed. As Mr. BERMAN correctly stated during floor debate on October 2. 1990. "(W]e have large amounts of sums in that original appropriation that not only have not been spent. but are being held back from the States." Public hospitals. for example. are told State legalization impact assistance grant funds are to be the program of last resort and that they should collect what they can from patients and third party sources.