Speech #1060001373

Mr. Speaker. on January 6. with the support of 48 original cosponsors. I introduced the Mass Immigration Reduction Act. My bill. formerly called the Immigration Moratorium Act. provides for a significant. but temporary. cut in legal immigration to the United States. Mr. Speaker. I believe that many Members of this body would be surprised to learn that the immigrant population is now growing faster than at any time in our nations history. The number of immigrants living in the United States has almost tripled since 1970. from 9.6 million to 26.3 million. This profusion in immigrants has a profound and costly impact on our way of life. For example. the net annual current fiscal burden imposed on native households at all levels of government by immigrant households nationally is estimated to range from $14.8 to $20.2 billion. As troubling. the poverty rate for immigrants is nearly 50 percent higher than that of natives. This suggests that our immigration policies are not only unfair to citizens. but are a disservice to immigrants who come here looking for a better. more prosperous way of life. As federal legislators. we have an obligation to take a serious look at our immigration policies and the problems that stem from them. It is our duty to devise an immigration system that is in our nations best interest. Under my proposed legislation. immigration would be limited to the spouses and minor children of U.S. citizens. 25.000 refugees. 5.000 employmentbased priority workers and a limited number of immigrants currently waiting in the immigration backlog. The changes would expire after five years. provided no adverse impact would result from an immigration increase. Total immigration under my bill would be around 300.000 per year. down from the current level of about one million annually. I should emphasize that my bill is not intended to serve as a permanent longterm immigration policy. It would provide a lull in legal immigration. during which time we would have an opportunity to reevaluate Americas immigration needs and set up more appropriate conditions under which immigrants may become permanent residents of the United States. In closing. Mr. Speaker. let me stress that we should continue to welcome immigrants to our great country. However. we should do so under a wellregulated policy that is based upon Americas needs and interests. Currently. we lack such a policy. Our system allows for unmanageable levels of immigrants with little regard for the impact the levels have on our limited ability to absorb and assimilate newcomers. I strongly urge my colleagues to examine our immigration system and ask themselves whether it is in the best interests of their constituents to continue the unprecedented trend of mass immigration. I encourage Members to support my bill. and look forward to productive debate on this important issue.