Subject: NEWS FOR S618 AND HR3182

From: [email-masked] (Mi Mi)
Date: Fri, 4 Feb 94 22:36:16 CST

Date: Fri, 4 Feb 94 23:01:27 -0500
>From: [email-masked] (Mi Mi Sr.)

Following is the most updated information from [email-masked],
on the recent progress on S618 AND HR3182. As we all know it, this new
legislation will benefit all the dependents in China, and bring them here
with their loved ones. A long family separation is definitedly nothing 
appealling to anyone. So please support this legislation to pass the Congress.

My reasons to call upon your support are the following. 

1) Some of you have dependents in China, so do it to help yourselves,

2) Some of you may not have now, but probably will have, in future. You 
may want to marry someone in China, and bring her/him here ASAP, so, 
please be prepared to have this legislation handy when you need it,

3) Some of you MAY NEVER have your immediate dependents back in China,
but you probably WILL help someone to immigrate into this country. Your
parents, sisters and brothers. So, please make it handy for them.

All in all, we are all from one background. Early comers, new comers,
whenever you came, wherever you came, we share too much in common.
So, please show your support by reading and responding to the following 
message.

Thank you.

Happy Chinese New Year!

Mi Mi Sr.

=Forwarded messages below this line===================================

YOU MAY DISTRIBUTE THE FOLLOWING MESSAGE TO YOUR FRIENDS.
DESIGNATED PERSON MAY DISTRIBUTE IT TO APPROPRIATE NETWORKS.
I WILL DEAL WITH CND.
______________________________________________________________________________
>From:[email-masked]  (FEB. 1, 1994)

Dear friends,

   More than 50 people from more than 25 states have responded to my message to
support legislations s.618 (introduced by Senator Riegle D-MI) and
HR3182 (by Rep. Frank Pallone, Jr. D-NJ). 
Enclosed please find the text of the bill HR3182 and Pallone's statement.
Note that the text of HR3182 I just got is identical to the bill S.618.

   I spoke to staff members of Riegle and Pallone. They hope to pass the bill 
this year, or attach it to a bigger bill then pass it.
   I also have messages from Senator Simon's office:
1. Maybe to try this program for one or two years if there is no strong support.
Later try to make it a permanent law. Of course, it would be the best for us
to have it permanent as soon as possible.
2. Though Kennedy is a cosponsor, we still need to ask his active support.
Indeed his staff member has the most pessimistic view even though that member
could not identify anyone against the bill. 
 
We must support our friends in Congress. Here are things we can do to help
(1) Spread the relevant information to more people. We now have volunteers 
distribute my message to other networks. I would like to thank Krzysztof for 
making suggestions on sample letters and many others for important suggestions.
(2) Write/call members of Judiciary Committee in Congress.
(3) Ask U.S. Senators and representatives in your state to co-sponsor the 
legislation. HR3182 has 19 cosponsors now. You may attach Pallone's statement
with your letters. 

We are all full time students and professionals and we are very busy indeed, 
please do whatever we can to help this effort. 
To push a legislation is not an instant act but a patient work.

******************************************************************************
A statement from Rep. Frank Pallone, Jr. 
and the text of the legislation H.R. 3182  
******************************************************************************

STATEMENT ON THE SPOUSAL AND CHILDREN IMMIGRATION ACT
		REP. FRANK PALLONE, JR. (D-N.J.)

   Following the August Congressional District Work Period, I will be 
introducing legislation that would permit the admission to the United States 
of nonimmigrant visitors who are the spouses and children of permanent 
resident aliens residing and working in this country.

   This legislation is intended to fill a void in our current immigration 
policy that has resulted in permanent resident aliens---people who have come 
into this country legally and who are gainfully employed---being separated
from their spouses and children, often for periods of several years. The bill
would simply make it easier for family members to come to the United States
on a temporary basis, with provisions to penalize those who overstay their
visas. Its goal is to alleviate the human hardship of prolonged family 
separation. Similar legislation has already been introduced in the Senate
by Senator Riegle of Michigan.

   The legislation would eliminate the implication that the existence of a
petition for permanent residence implies that an applicant will not return
to his or her home nation and would remain in the United States after the 
expiration of a temporary visa. This equitable solution simply grants to 
immigrant family members the same opportunity to visit the United States 
as all others desiring to come here as visitors or students. The legislation
anticipates the possibility that some may violate the terms of their 
visas by overstaying the period for which the visa provides. It penalizes
spouses or children of permanent resident who overstay their visas by allowing
the Secretary of State to delay their permanent visa petitions for one year
if visa durations are violated. 

   I am hoping that this proposal will receive strong support from the Members
of the Caucus on India and Indian-Americans, and other Members of Congress
who agree with the need to address this inequity. The issue of spousal and 
child reunification has been identified as one of the top domestic priorities
of the Asian-Indian community in the United States. With the Caucus members
working together, enactment of this bill would be an opportunity for
the Caucus to make its presence felt in a substantive way. Furthermore,
this proposal has already received significant support from some of
America's major corporations, particularly in the information and communications
sectors, who recognize the importance of allowing their valued employees to
have greater contact with their families. The bill is, by its very nature, an 
interim measure. In order to allay some of the misunderstandings that will
arise, it should be pointed out that the legislation will not result in an
increase in the numbers of immigrants admitted annually, it will not have
an impact on the labor market, and it will not have any adverse effects on 
any government social programs, since the spouses would not be entitled to 
these benefits. It is a very modest proposal intended only to bring some 
relief to families separated by unfortunate administrative delays.

***********************************************************************	
103D CONGRESS
1ST SESSION             H.R. 3182
-------------------------------------------
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
SEPTEMBER 29, 1993
Mr. PALLONE introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee
on the Judiciary
-------------------------------------------
	A   BILL
   To amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to permit the admission
to the United States of nonimmigrant students and visitors who are 
the spouses and children of United States permanent resident aliens,
and for other purposes.
   Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. ADMISSION OF CERTAIN "B" AND "F" VISA NONIMMIGRANTS WHO ARE
SPOUSES OR CHILDREN OF UNITED STATES PERMANENT RESIDENT 
ALIENS.
Section 212 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C.
1182) is amended by adding at the end thereof the following new
subsection:
(o)(1) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, no alien---
(A) who is the spouse or child of an alien lawfully admitted for
    permanent residence to the United States,
(B) who seeks admission to the United States for purposes of 
    visiting the permanent resident spouse or parent or for studying
    in the United States, and
(C) who is otherwise qualified,
may be denied issuance of a visa, or may be denied admission to the 
United States, as a nonimmigrant alien described in section 
101(a)(15)(B) who is coming to the United States temporarily for 
pleasure or as a nonimmigrant alien described in section 101(a)(15)(F).

(2) Whenever an alien described in paragraph (1) seeks 
admission to the United States as a nonimmigrant alien described in 
section 101(a)(15)(B) who is coming temporarily for pleasure or as a
nonimmigrant alien described in section 101(a)(15)(F), the fact that a 
petition has been filed on the alien's behalf for classification of the
alien as an alien lawfully admitted for permanent residence shall not 
constitute evidence of the alien's intention to abandon his or her
foreign residence.

(3) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, any alien-
(A) who is issued a nonimmigrant visa under paragraph (1),
(B) who was admitted to the United States, and
(C) who remains in the United States longer than the period 
authorized for such nonimmigrant status,
shall be ineligible to receive an immigrant visa for a period of up to
one year after the alien's priority date has been reached, as the 
Secretary of State may determine.	
	   
	***********************************************************************