[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 75 (Wednesday, June 4, 1997)]
[House]
[Page H3277]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              PETITIONS AGAINST ANTI-IMMIGRANT WELFARE LAW

  (Mr. GUTIERREZ asked and was given permission to address the House 
for 1 minute.)
  Mr. GUTIERREZ. Mr. Speaker, some distinguished visitors are seated in 
the House gallery today. More than 100 Jews from the former Soviet 
Union, many of whom helped fight with America against fascism in the 
1940's and crushed communism in the 1990's.
  It is an honor to welcome them here and to speak on their behalf.
  In addition to those 100 people, I also speak on behalf of 100,000 
other Americans who are not here with us today but whose names are here 
on these petitions.
  Yes, 100,000 Americans have signed these petitions to protest the 
harsh punitive welfare law that will exact a terrible toll on legal 
immigrants, the elderly, the disabled, and vulnerable immigrants. There 
are 100,000 people calling on Congress and the White House to restore 
benefits to legal immigrants, to restore fairness to the welfare 
debate, to restore compassion to our Nation's policy, and to restore 
America's heritage as a nation that welcomes and protects legal 
immigrants who seek a better life and seek to make America a better 
place. These are 100,000 Americans who will continue to fight this 
Congress and the White House until justice is done.

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