A BILL TO AMEND SECTION 101 (a) (27) (D) OF THE RELIGIOUS DENOMINATIONS COMMITTEE ON THE JUDICIARY EMANUEL CELLER, New York, Chairman MICHAEL A. FEIGHAN, Ohio EDWIN E. WILLIS, Louisiana WILLIAM M. TUCK, Virginia ROBERT T. ASHMORE, South Carolina JOHN DOWDY, Texas BASIL L. WHITENER, North Carolina WILLIAM L. HUNGATE, Missouri WILLIAM M. McCULLOCH, Ohio CHARLES MCC. MATHIAS, JR., Maryland HENRY P. SMITH III, New York CHARLES W. SANDMAN, JR., New Jersey EDWARD G. BIESTER, JR., Pennsylvania CHARLES E. WIGGINS, California BESS E. DICK, Staff Director SUBCOMMITTEE No. 1 GENERAL JURISDICTION OVER JUDICIARY BILLS AS ASSIGNED. SPECIAL JURISDICTION OVER IMMIGRATION AND NATIONALITY MICHAEL A. FEIGHAN, Ohio, Chairman PETER W. RODINO, JR., New Jersey HAROLD D. DONOHUE, Massachusetts JOHN DOWDY, Texas ARCH A. MOORE, JR., West Virginia WILLIAM T. CAHILL, New Jersey CLARK MACGREGOR, Minnesota GARNER J. CLINE, Counsel (II) CONTENTS Miss Barbara M. Watson, Acting Administrator, Bureau of Security and Consular Affairs, Department of State, accompanied by Mr. Frederick Smith, Jr., Assistant Legal Adviser. Mr. James L. Hennessy, Executive Assistant to the Commissioner, Immigration and Naturalization Service, Department_of Justice, accompanied by Mr. Cornelius J. Leary, Supervisory Deportation Statement received from Hon. Edna F. Kelly, Representative in Congress Letter received from Christian Science Committee on Publication____ (III) AMENDING SECTION 101(a) (27) (D) OF THE IMMIGRA TION AND NATIONALITY ACT WEDNESDAY, MARCH 27, 1968 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, The subcommittee met at 10 a.m., pursuant to call, in room 2237, Rayburn House Office Building, Hon. Michael A. Feighan presiding, Present: Representatives Feighan, Rodino, and Donohue. Staff members present: Garner J. Cline, counsel, and Donald G. Benn, associate counsel. (The proposed legislation follows:) [H.R. 15450, 90th Cong., second sess.] A BILL To amend section 101 (a) (27) (D) of the Immigration and Nationality Act Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That section 101(a) (27) (D) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1101) is amended by inserting after the language "vocation of minister of a religious denomination" the language "or serving as a missionary, brother, nun, or sister of a religious denomination". Mr. FEIGHAN. The subcommittee will come to order. The purpose of the hearing today is to receive testimony on H.R. 15450, a bill to exempt from the numerical limitations on immigration any immigrant who continuously, for at least 2 years immediately preceding the time of his application for admission to the United States has been, and who seeks to enter the United States solely for the purpose of serving as a missionary, brother, nun, or sister of a religious denomination, and whose services are needed by such religious denomination having a bona fide organization in the United States, and the spouse or child of any such immigrant if accompanying or following to join him. Section 101(a) (27) (D) of the Immigration and Nationality Act describes one of the classes of "special immigrant" as a person who is carrying on the vocation of a minister of a religious denomination. The legislation under consideration today would add to that class of "special immigrant" by making the provisions applicable to a person who is serving as a missionary, brother, nun, or sister of a religious denomination. The first witness today whom we are grateful to have with us is Miss Barbara M. Watson, Acting Administrator, Bureau of Security and Consular Affairs, who, I understand, will be accompanied by Mr. Frederick Smith, Jr., Assistant Legal Adviser. On behalf of the subcommittee, Miss Watson and Mr. Smith, we are very happy to have you with us. We look forward to hearing your testimony which in the past has been so helpful to us on the committee. You may proceed. (1) |