Speech #1030135481

Mr. President. I was here especially to listen to the remarks of my senior colleague from West Virginia because he has joined me throughout my legislative activities with regard to immigration reform. Senator BYRD. some may not recall. was on the Judiciary Committee for many years. and was on the committee when I came to join the Judiciary Committee of the Senate in 1979. He extended to me every courtesy. and was a great source of learning for a new. freshman Senator. Then he watched as I was appointed by President Carter to the Select Commission on Immigration and Refugee Policy. and would say to me often: How are you coming with your work? Do you have a good staff? Will you be presenting some legislation to us? And we did. The Commission responded with the fabric of two bills. one to control illegal immigration and one to control legal immigration. I think probably the Senator from West Virginia would have a better institutional knowledge. but I do not know many commissions appointed by the President that actually can say that they did what they were supposed to do in the form of legislation. They often compile their reports and their staff volumes. and then they gather dust somewhere. But we went forward. Father Ted Hesburgh of Notre Dame was our President. We began our work. and throughout all those years there was always one vital ally. through the best and the worst times of immigration reform. legal and illegal immigration reform. There was an initial question that Senator BYRD hadhe expressed it to me with regard to his Statethat had to do with the H2 worker programs with regard to agriculture. We resolved those not Just for that State but with my own State and other States. and then we moved forward with the reform. I can tell you. in my years of conference committees and activities of being in the majority and the minority. especially in conference committees in the early times when Senator BYRD was a member of the committee. I always felt a great lightness of step when I would have his proxy in my pocket on immigration reform. And it was always lodged tightly there as he would send me off. Senator BYRD has been a real warrior in the fray. an extraordinary ally. a very constructive observer. a most adroit advocate. and a loyal friend. And now has chosen to serve me once again and assist me--it is more assistance in every wayas an original cosponsor of a sweeping piece of legislation which he has Just well described. But it deals with the entire spectrum of asylum reform. deportation proceedings reform. public assistance reform. some type of. obviously. better verification system. I showed you graphically how anyone can obtain those documents. this morning. I will not go into that again.