Speech #980217787

There is no basic change in the situation. Then when we go to conference. we are going to end up with a 1981 date. The bottom line to all of this is I want an immigration bill. I supported employer sanctions. which are very unpopular. That is the heart of this bill. but politically. you have no employer sanctions unless you have a legalization program. Those are the facts of life. Both are going to be in any final product that passes this Congress or else nothing will pass. So I urge my colleague that if you want responsible. fair immigration reform. if you want to keep our borders secure and if you want to be fair. not only to the millions of people who are here. but to this country that Is going to have to deal with this political problem in years to come. you will oppose the amendments gutting legalization and you will vote for this bill. which is a package. It is a package of employer sanctions and legalization. As the song goes. "You cant have one without the other." There are some people on this side that only want employer sanctions and no legalization. There are some people on this side that only want legalization and no employer sanctions. I say to both sides. there is no immigration bill in those situations. You have to package the two. I realize this is unpleasant. I wish I did not have to come down here and talk on this issue. I wish I did not have to vote on this issue. but for the future of America. we need to keep the legalization program in. because we are not going to get an immigration bill if we delete it.