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like this in their own constituencies where they happen to have some Jews.

So I pursue it, and Manny Cellar, who was then chairman of the Judiciary Committee, said to me, “We'll never get this out. We can't win this thing.” And he decides whether or not there are going to be hearings on issues before his committee, and it's clear to me, although he's very friendly to me, that this issue is dead in terms of actually getting it passed. I said, “Manny, I think it's something that we need. We should be able to get it out.” He said, “I can only tell you that we're not going to be able to get it out. The pressure is against us. But if you want to do something, why don't you talk to Ford,” who was then the minority leader. So I went to see Ford, and I explained the whole issue to him, Jerry Rord, in his office. Manny had pointed out, “It doesn't have to be done legislatively. It can be done through the Administration under a section of the immigration law in which they say that they're exercising what is called the parole authority, as they did in Cuba, in Hungary and other countries, not by legislation; but simply say that that group is a refugee group and we'll take them without regard to quota restrictions.” So that's what I did. I went to see Jerry Ford and explained it to him. He said, “Yes, these people are very good people,” talking about the Jews who had come out of the Soviet Union. “I will help you. If these people were to come here, they would never go on welfare.” (laughs)