Mr. Speaker. I first want to commend the various committees involved on bringing us an immigration bill. and the Rules Committee on clearing it for floor action under this modified open rule. I think weve come a long way from the prolonged process we suffered throught in the last Congress. I would like to think this bodes well for enactment despite the short time remaining in this Congress. I know this bill contains several politically difficult issues that we would all rather not confront in an election year. But I strongly feel that this is one of those extraordinary crises in which the national interest must take precedence over our immediate political concerns. And make no mistake about it. illegal immigration is a ticking timebomb that must be defused now or its explosive repercussions will rip through the heartland of this country in the future. Having said that. I want to join the gentleman from Tennessee in urging defeat of the previous question so we might offer a substitute rule that does just two things: First. it would make in order the Lungren substitute for Schumer language in the bill on the issue of guestworkers. and second. it would restore the minoritys traditional right under House precedents to offer a motion to recommit of its choosing. and not be confined to a straight motion to recommit without instructions.
Keywords matched
immigration illegal immigration