Speech #990278945

Mr. Speaker. we stand on the verge of culminating a task that began many years ago. That task. of course. is to reform our immigration lawsto bring some order and sense to our immigration policy by regaining control of our borders and dealing with the hard reality that many of the finest. most lawabiding residents of the United States are in an undocumented status. On September 26. when the House voted not to consider the immigration reform bill on the floor. there were many who thought that any chance for enacting immigration reform in the 99th Congress had vanished. But because our immigration problems will not quietly and magically disappear. because they must be addressed immediately. the legislation was revived. brought to the House floor. and was passed by a comfortable vote margin. As my distinguished chairman. the gentleman from New Jersey. noted at that time. the revival of immigration reform in the 99th Congress was nothing short of a miracle. Over the weekend. House/Senate conferees came up with a second miracle: agreement upon a conference bill that includes tough but fair employer sanctions. and a generous but carefully defined legalization program. Furthermore. the delicately crafted agricultural provisions already approved by the House were preserved completely intact. As I have said before. those who are looking for a perfect immigration bill will not find it here. since there can be no perfect immigration bill. This is. however. a good bill and the best we are likely to produce. It reflects the best and most careful thinking not only of the House. but also of the other body. not only of this Congress. but of previous Congresses as well. It also reflects the input and concerns of the various committees of the House that had jurisdiction over the bill. I stand before my colleagues today proud of the conference agreement we have crafted and secure in the belief that this agreement represents the best immigration reform measure Congress is ever likely to produce. With regard to employer sanctions. the conference agreement remains essentially the program previously approved by the House. Criminal penalties for pattern or practice violations are preserved.