Speech #980000820

This problem is not a trendy new issue. it is in fact decades old. We have talked about it endlessly and studied it from every possible perspective. several times we have walked right up to it. only to walk away again. The problem is uncontrolled immigration and we still have not done anything to solve it. Remember all of the hopes. dreams. and activity during the last several years? Countless hours of congressional hearings were held. numerous interagency studies were made. and a National Select Commission was organized to study the problem. At the conclusion of all of this activity. we really thought we would get an immigration bill through Congress last year. But we did not. We again walked up to the problem. looked it in the eye. and walked away. The failure to deal effectively with this escalating problem is a serious breach of our responsibility to the American people. By turning our heads while certain special interest groups pursue their own selfish goals. we are in effect guaranteeing that the social and economic problems caused by massive uncontrolled immigration will not only continue but will multiply. Many of you know how deeply I feel about this issue. I do not serve on the committee that handles immigration. this is not a task that I am required to look at by the rules of the Senate. My sole motivation in seeking a solution to this problem is to assure that the people of this great country continue to have the advantages and benefits they have worked so long to secure. Uncontrolled immigration is not an issue that will go away. Instead. it will only get worse if we ignore it. Some of us have deluded ourselves into believing that time alone will solve these problems.