Speaker. I just must say that today was probably the most bittersweet victory that I have had in the House of Representatives. Bittersweet because I in fact have been working for 8 years. the 8 years I have been in the Congress. for immigration reform. I have been on this floor many. many times. I sustained an effort to put pressure on the leadership two Congresses ago. so that we might have immigration reform. We were finally successful in having that immigration reform package on the floor in the waning days of that year. in fact in the lameduck session. A rule was granted that time which gave a totally open rule. which allowed every amendment under the Sun in order. and some who were opposed to that particular bill made 200 to 300 amendments in order. that is. filed them. and were ready to go with them. and that and the combination of time killed the bill. Then in the last Congress. working with others. we put pressure on the House to finally bring the immigration bill up. Unfortunately it was delayed. and delayed. and delayed. and delayed for a combination of reasons. some political. we were promised it in January of that year. then February. then March. then April. then May. Then had what we thought was an ironclad commitment to bring it to the floor of the House in June 1984. the first week. but at that time a phone call from a Presidential candidate Mr. Mondale to the leadership here indicating that if Members had to take positions on immigration reform prior to the Democrat and Republican primaries in California. that that would affect the outcome of that primary. As a result. that was put off again until after the California primary. That put it right in the Presidential season between the. or right at the time of the two Presidential conventions. it made it more partisan than before.
Keywords matched
immigration