Speech #1040191339

I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Chairman. the BrownbackGutierrez amendment deletes the new Immigration and Nationality Act sections 201(g)(2) and 201(g)(3). This is a rather simple amendment that would preserve a very simple idea. Americas immigration policy should continue to allow families to be reunited with their loved ones. At first glance. the section of the bill we seek to delete might appear to do nothing more than require a periodic congressional review of the numerical limits placed on immigration. Unfortunately. this is not the case. The bill actually requires specific legislation reauthorization as early as the year 2004 for our Nation to continue to allow any familybased and employmentbased immigration. Let me be clear. This Congress will have to pass a specific legislative reauthorization in the year 2004 if our Nation is to allow any familybased or employmentbased immigration. Reuniting with family members accounts for 60 percent of all legal immigration to the United States. and this bill puts that type of critical legal immigration in danger. The bill says that without congressional action. brothers and sisters. parents and children. husbands and wives will be prevented from reuniting in the United States. In effect. this bill creates a sunset provision on the most important and positive reason people come to the United States. It creates a sunset provision on our basic and fundamental commitment to any immigration policy at all. Well. I do not want this Congress to allow the Sun to set on our Nations desire to offer opportunity to newcomers from throughout the world. I do not want the Sun to set on our Nations commitment to serving as a source of hope and for those who desire to work and contribute to make America a better. stronger nation. I do not want the Sun to set on Americas commitment to one of the most basic family values. allowing immigrants to reunite with the people they love. Yet. this is precisely what the proponents of this bill are suggesting. Passage of this bill with this provision would be a huge victory for extremists whose only interest in immigration is ending it forever. But do not take my word for it. The Wall Street Journal wrote on their editorial page last week that the sunset clause would "stop all jobbased legal immigration and provide a powerful lever to immigration restrictionists after the turn of the century." The bipartisan BrownbackGutierrez amendment is our opportunity to take away that powerful lever from those who would like to completely abandon our Nations commitment to legal immigration. I urge my colleagues not to be swayed by the argument that reauthorizing this bill is just a formality. that it is really no big deal. The history of the U.S. Congress clearly shows that immigration legislation is never a formality. It is always a big deal. Mr. Chairman. the author of this legIslation has said over and over again that this represents only the third time this century that Congress has dealt with an immigration bill of this magnitude. I believe the gentleman from Texas recognized the facts and he does not oppose this amendment. which I appreciate very much. So we should all realize that reauthorization. which will decide whether mothers are reunited with sons. will not come easily unless we correct this potential problem today. The sunset provision is a silver bullet that is aimed at every heart of our commitment to immigrants. By passing this amendment. we can unload that silver bullet. To use the language that so many of my friends on the other side of the aisle are using. we can truly take a stand for family values.