[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 35 (Thursday, March 14, 1996)]
[House]
[Pages H2313-H2314]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




          THE IMMIGRATION IN THE NATIONAL INTEREST ACT OF 1995

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from California [Mr. Dreier] is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. DREIER. Mr. Speaker, I know that I first want to express my great 
appreciation to my very good friends who are sitting and standing 
behind me at this point, and I will be as brief as possible.
  I have risen to briefly talk about the rule that we are going to be 
considering next Tuesday, which the Committee on Rules has reported out 
just a

[[Page H2314]]

couple of hours ago and which I have just filed at the desk.
  The issue of reform of both legal and illegal immigration is one of 
the most contentious debates that we will have, and it will take place 
next week. The rule that we are considering is one of the most fair and 
balanced rules that could possibly be offered. In fact, we had over 
100, I believe 104, amendments that were filed to the Committee on 
Rules by noon yesterday, and we spent today considering those 
amendments, and we have made in order 32 amendments that will be 
considered.
  The issue of illegal immigration is a very difficult and pressing one 
for my State of California. We in California deal daily with the flood 
of illegal immigrants who are coming across the border seeking either 
government services, job opportunities, seeking family members, and it 
is very important that we take strong and decisive action here at the 
Federal level to deal with that problem.
  In the area of legal immigration, I am very pleased that this 
legislation will allow us to maintain the highest level of legal 
immigration in 70 years and that in itself is a very good and positive 
move, because this country was founded on legal immigration and this 
country has had tremendous benefits because of immigrants who continue 
to come to this country today.
  In fact, my State of California and other parts of this country are 
on the cutting edge technologically and in many other areas because of 
legal immigration.
  So I would like to congratulate the chairman of the subcommittee, the 
gentleman from Texas [Mr. Smith], who has worked long and hard 
throughout the past year and up until just recently, and he has been 
working, as he said today, nearly 12 hours a day constantly trying to 
bring this legislation forward.
  As we look at the many different amendments that are going to be 
considered next week when we proceed with this legislation, one of the 
most controversial and hotly debated has been the proposal that was 
offered by the gentleman from Michigan, Mr. Chrysler, and my California 
colleague, Mr. Berman, and the gentleman from Kansas, Mr. Brownback, 
seeking to split the legislation. That is an amendment that will be 
made to order, will be considered.

  So, as we look at the resolution which I have just sent down that 
will allow us to bring about debate on the issue of legal and illegal 
immigration, I believe that we are taking a very bold and positive step 
toward getting the Federal Government to step up to the plate and 
acknowledge its responsibility. It has been a long time since we have 
been able to do this, and there are many problems that have taken place 
because of the 1986 Immigration Reform and Control Act, IRCA, that need 
to be addressed, and I am pleased that we will in time be doing that.
  I would simply say, Mr. Speaker, that I anxiously look forward to a 
very interesting debate which will be far-reaching and allow every 
single proposal that has come forward to be considered and discussed.

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