Speech #1020136820

I think the adoption of the amendment would really put us in Jeopardy of getting anything through the other body. through the conference. and to the President for whatever its fate is at that point. I say that even though the original Mazzoli amendment or the original Mazzoli bill. H.R. 3844. did have temporary protected status in it. But after my very distinguished subcommittee met and after we had our hearing and after we meditated on this thing. it came to us that we had to change this bill to make it a more limited bill. a bill that could actually become law and actually work. So I say. again with respect to the gentleman from Michigan. that his amendment. with the temporary protected status designation for all of the Haitians who are at Guantanamo or would be at Guantanamo. would have a magnet effect. I think it would constitute a reason for people to leave Haiti and to be rescued by the Coast Guard and taken to Guantanamo. because the gentlemans amendment applies not only to those on the island by February 5. which is the date in the bill before this committee. but also any time thereafter. So any Haitians who would leave Haiti today. for instance. and be in Guantanamo tomorrow or the day after would be covered by this bill. They are not covered by the committee bill. Furthermore. unlike any other temporary protected status the gentleman from Kentucky has ever seen. the amendment offered by the gentleman from Michigan would not have any date certain connected with it. Every other TPS bill says it is good for a year. it is good for 18 months. or it is good for 60 days. or it gives an actual date. The gentlemans amendment is openended. It would apply to any Haitians covered today. covered tomorrow. or covered the day after.