Roland Gutierrez: “Mr. Chairman, the Brownback-Gutierrez amendment deletes the new Immigration and Nationality Act sections 201(g)(2) and…”

“Mr. Chairman, the Brownback-Gutierrez amendment deletes the new Immigration and Nationality Act sections 201(g)(2) and 201(g)(3). This is a rather simple amendment that would preserve a very simple idea. America's immigration policy should continue to allow families to be reunited with their loved ones. At first glance, the section of the bill we seek to delete might appear to do nothing more than require a periodic congressional review of the numerical limits placed on immigration. Unfortunately, this is not the case. The bill actually requires specific legislation reauthorization as early as the year 2004 for our Nation to continue to allow any family-based and employment-based immigration. Let me be clear. This Congress will have to pass a specific legislative reauthorization in the year 2004 if our Nation is to allow any family-based or employment-based immigration. Reuniting with family members accounts for 60 percent of all legal immigration to the United States, and this bill puts that type of critical legal immigration in danger. The bill says that without congressional action, brothers and sisters, parents and children, husbands and wives will be prevented from reuniting in the United States. In effect, this bill creates a sunset provision on the most important and positive reason people come to the United States.”