IMMIGRATION COMMITTEE CHAIR REVISES HISTORY OF H-1B BILL

Rep. Lamar Smith (R-TX) submitted some comments for the record on the H1B bill that Congress passed in October. A portion of his remarks is a cause for concern. Mr. Smith says: "However, it should be remembered that a majority of the members of the House that day either voted in favor of the Watt amendment or against H.R. 3736 on final passage (or both)." He also says: "It is clear that the members - constituting a majority of the House - who voted for the Watt amendment or against final passage were very concerned..." (both the above quotes were printed in the Congressional Record - Extensions of Remarks on November 12th, 1998 page E2323). The actual votes in the House were 242 to 177 *against* the Watt Amendment and 288 to 133 *for* the final bill. Obviously, Mr. Smith's contention that a "majority" of the House was for the Watt amendment or against the final bill is not true. Moreover, this statement was not made on the spur of the moment on the House floor (which might justify a misstatement). These comments were part of "Extensions of Remarks", that is, they were prepared in advance, and submitted in writing to the Official Reporter of the House. It is to be hoped that Mr. Smith will correct this error of fact in a future Congressional Record issue.

< Back | Next >

Disclaimer: This newsletter is provided as a public service and not intended to establish an attorney client relationship. Any reliance on information contained herein is taken at your own risk.