Speech #1100052792

We did not hold hearings this year. and we did not process this legislation through the Judiciary Committee. which in retrospect may have been a mistake. but here we are. But we have an ample record from last year. We had the testimony of Professor Richard Freeman from Harvard outlining the basic fact that immigration raises not only the GDP of the United States because we have more people now to do useful activities. but it also raises the part of the GDP that goes to the current residents in our country. We heard testimony from Professor Henry Holzer of Georgetown University to the effect that immigration is a good thing for the overall economy. "It does lower costs. It lowers prices. It enables us to produce more goods and services and to produce them more efficiently." The executive director of the Stanford Law School program on law. economics. and business. Dan Siciliano. testified that there is a "mismatch between our U.S.-born workers age. skills. and willingness to work. and the jobs that are being created in the economy. in part as a function of our own demographics. whether they be elder care. retail. daycare. or other types of jobs." There is no doubt that there is a tremendous need for a guest worker program in our restaurants. hotels. on our farms. in landscaping. wherever one turns. The Assistant Secretary of Policy at the U.S. Department of Labor testified earlier this month before the House Immigration Subcommittee that there are three fundamental reasons the United States needs immigrants to fuel our economy. That is the testimony of Assistant Secretary Leon Sequeira. The reasons he gives are tbat we have an aging workforce. we do not have enough people of working age to support the economy and support the social welfare programs. such as Social Security for the aging population. and immigrants contribute to innovation and entrepreneurship. The chart which had been posted shows that the guest worker program is being treated fairly. Senator KENNEDY has outlined in some detail the review and analysis of the program. so the Congress is in a position to make modifications. if necessary.