[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 83 (Thursday, June 4, 2009)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1327]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


             THE INTRODUCTION OF THE REUNITING FAMILIES ACT

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. MAZIE K. HIRONO

                               of hawaii

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, June 4, 2009

  Ms. HIRONO. Madam Speaker, aloha! I rise today in support of the 
Reuniting Families Act, a bill introduced by Congressman Michael Honda. 
I am proud to be an original cosponsor of this important bill.
  There are currently 5.8 million people in the family immigration 
backlog waiting unconscionable periods of time to reunite with their 
family members. The Reunifying Families Act takes important steps 
toward fixing our broken family immigration system by reducing the 
waiting times for legal immigrants.
  One important piece of Mr. Honda's bill is the inclusion of the 
Filipino Veterans Family Reunification Act (H.R. 2412), a bill I have 
introduced for the past two congressional sessions. My bill would 
exempt the sons and daughters of Filipino World War II veterans from 
the cap on immigration numbers that have resulted in waiting periods 
for up to two decades for immigrant visas to the United States.
  I have listened to many heartbreaking stories of our Filipino 
veterans, many of whom are in their 80s and 90s, waiting patiently with 
the hope that one day that their children will be able to come to the 
United States to care for them. I am glad that the Filipino Veterans 
Family Reunification Act is a part of the Reuniting Families Act.
  The family bond is precious and it is the bedrock of society. Any 
policy that would keep family members apart for decades at a time, 
husband from wife, mother from child, is not morally defensible. The 
real solution is to reward immigrants for following the law, not punish 
them with unreasonably long separations.
  I look forward to working with my colleagues by providing for the 
reunification of all our families.

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