[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 152 (Tuesday, November 4, 1997)]
[Senate]
[Pages S11703-S11704]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              AMENDING THE IMMIGRATION AND NATIONALITY ACT

  Mr. BENNETT. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate 
proceed to the immediate consideration of H.R. 2464, which was received 
from the House.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report.
  The assistant legislative clerk read as follows:

       A bill (H.R. 2464) to amend the Immigration and Nationality 
     Act to exempt internationally adopted children 10 years of 
     age or younger from the immunization requirement in section 
     212(a)(1)(A)(ii) of such Act.

  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there objection to the immediate 
consideration of the bill?
  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the bill.
  Mr. KENNEDY. Mr. President, this bill exempts adopted immigrant 
children ages 10 and under from the battery of immunizations they would 
normally have to receive before being allowed to enter the United 
States.
  I share Senator Abraham's disappointment that this bill does not go 
further. The immunization requirement which has caused so many problems 
for all immigrants, including the parents of adopted immigrant 
children, was passed as a part of last year's immigration bill. This 
provision requires all immigrants to receive the entire series of 
vaccinations recommended by the Advisory Committee on Immunization 
Practices before they are allowed to enter the United States. During 
the debate of the immigration bill, significant concerns were raised 
that this requirement would lead to many unintended results, such as 
forged immunization records, unavailability of vaccines, and inadequate 
health care if the immigrant had an adverse reaction to a vaccine.
  As a result of these concerns, the Senate passed a modified 
immunization provision, requiring immigrants to obtain most of their 
immunizations after they entered the United States, where vaccines and 
health care are available and adequate. Unfortunately, the Senate 
provisions were dropped in the conference on the final bill. Our

[[Page S11704]]

concerns were borne out, and the bill we are about to pass deals with 
part of the problems caused by the overseas immunization requirement. I 
had hoped we could pass a bill that exempted all immigrant children, 
not just adopted immigrant children, from this requirement. However, 
the adoptive parents are legitimately concerned about their children's 
health, and they deserve this relief. I urge my colleagues to approve 
this legislation.
  Mr. BENNETT. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the bill be 
considered read a third time and passed, and the motion to reconsider 
be laid upon the table, and that any statements relating to the bill be 
placed at the appropriate place in the Record.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there objection? Without objection, it is 
so ordered.
  The bill (H.R. 2464) was read the third time and passed.

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