Speech #1050101375

It is certainly true that the District of Columbia needs the funding. I wish I could stand here and tell my colleagues that we should pass this rule and get on with our business. but I cannot because of many of the reasons that have been stated by some of my colleagues. especially from Florida. with regard to a particular provision which was added to this appropriation bill that really does not have anything to do with D.C. appropriations but. nonetheless. was added. Let me quote for my colleagues from a letter of the President of the United States of November 4. 1997. where he said with regard to the issue affecting immigrants. principally from Central America and the Haitian community. that he was trying. through the legislation he had provided Congress to work on. he was seeking fair and equitable treatment for these individuals from these countries in Central America and Haiti. He goes on to say. "I am concerned. however. that this legislation. unlike my original proposal. inappropriately distinguishes among nationals from different countries. including those from Central America. It requires continued retroactive application of certain provisions in the 1996 immigration law and does not allow for an adequate transition to the laws new rules. Accordingly. the Congress should provide for a fair resolution of these issues." He goes on to say. "In addition. I strongly urge the Congress to provide to Haitians treatment similar to that provided to Central Americans. " What the President was speaking of was the change from his legislation that came to Congress and was being sponsored by certain Members in the House and the Senate and what is now in this appropriation bill. which is much different from what the President first proposed. As Cardinal Law from Massachusetts said. "We are putting these immigrants through emotional torture." Cardinal Law goes on to say. "The United States must provide for equitable treatment to Nicaraguans. Salvadorans. and Guatemalans. as well as justice for Haitians. in emerging immigration legislation." Mr. Speaker. what a number of us are saying here today is that. when we had a chance to put forth equity. when we had a chance to right the wrongs of last years immigration law. when we had a chance to show that we respect and dignify people who come to this country to escape persecution and to start a new life. we failed. We failed because we were able to do a great amount for some. and I am very pleased that the Nicaraguans will have a chance to say that they will receive amnesty. but we did not do it for any other Central American constituency similarly situated. The Salvadorans and the Guatemalans are in no different condition than the Nicaraguans. yet they are being treated differently.