*EPF513 09/07/01
Text: Bush Commends Senate for Extending Visa Application Deadline
(Urges House to act quickly on the measure) (290)

President Bush is commending the Senate for approving legislation that would give undocumented migrants in the United States extra time to apply for visas.

An existing U.S. law that made several hundred thousand migrants eligible to apply for visas without leaving the United States expired in April. The Senate-passed measure would extend the deadline by an extra year. A bill passed by the House of Representatives in May extends the deadline for illegal immigrants to apply for visas by four months.

"The president is heartened by the Senate's action and he looks forward to the House acting quickly to send this legislation to his desk," White House spokesman Ari Fleischer said in a statement September 6.

Following is the text:

(begin text)

THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
September 6, 2001

STATEMENT BY THE PRESS SECRETARY

The President commends the Senate for passage of legislation that will help unite families and make America more welcoming of new immigrants. Allowing qualified immigrants to become lawful residents of the United States without first being forced to leave the country and their families is the right thing to do.

This week, President Fox and President Bush have continued to work toward our shared goal of making the migration of families and workers between our nations more orderly, humane, legal, and safe. The President is heartened by the Senate's action and he looks forward to the House acting quickly to send this legislation to his desk.

(end text)

(Distributed by the Office of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)
NNNN