[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 51 (Tuesday, April 16, 2013)]
[House]
[Pages H2035-H2036]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          FAMILY REUNIFICATION

  (Ms. HANABUSA asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute.)
  Ms. HANABUSA. Mr. Speaker, as we begin the much-anticipated 
discussion on immigration reform, we have tended to overlook a critical 
aspect of it, and that is called family reunification.
  What's the problem? Family reunification has arbitrary caps and major 
backlogs. The caps are about 114,000 per country, and most countries 
have an average of 10 years of backlog. They're working on 2003 
applications. But there is one country that has had a greater rate, and 
that is the Philippines. This is the saddest example.
  The Filipino World War II veterans were promised full rights for 
fighting with us against the Japanese in World War II. After the war, 
there was the Rescission Act of 1946 which took away that promise. In 
1990, we finally made good on that promise, but we're processing 1989 
applications to reunify these families. Many can't travel anymore. Many 
can't wait. Families are critical to the success of this country.

[[Page H2036]]

Small businesses are built with families, values of unity, caring for 
elders.
  We must keep our promise.

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