Speech #1040188105

I know that I first want to express my great appreciation to my very good friends who are sitting and standing behind me at this point. and I will be as brief as possible. I have risen to briefly talk about the rule that we are going to be considering next Tuesday. which the Committee on Rules has reported out just a couple of hours ago and which I have just filed at the desk. The issue of reform of both legal and illegal immigration is one of the most contentious debates that we will have. and it will take place next week. The rule that we are considering is one of the most fair and balanced rules that could possibly be offered. In fact. we had over 100. I believe 104. amendments that were filed to the Committee on Rules by noon yesterday. and we spent today considering those amendments. and we have made in order 32 amendments that will be considered. The issue of illegal immigration is a very difficult and pressing one for my State of California. We in California deal daily with the flood of illegal immigrants who are coming across the border seeking either government services. job opportunities. seeking family members. and it is very important that we take strong and decisive action here at the Federal level to deal with that problem. In the area of legal immigration. I am very pleased that this legislation will allow us to maintain the highest level of legal immigration in 70 years and that in itself Is a very good and positive move. because this country was founded on legal immigration and this country has had tremendous benefits because of immigrants who continue to come to this country today. In fact. my State of California and other parts of this country are on the cutting edge technologically and in many other areas because of legal immigration. So I would like to congratulate the chairman of the subcommittee. the gentleman from Texas . who has worked long and hard throughout the past year and up until just recently. and he has been working. as he said today. nearly 12 hours a day constantly trying to bring this legislation forward. As we look at the many different amendments that are going to be considered next week when we proceed with this legislation. one of the most controversial and hotly debated has been the proposal that was offered by the gentleman from Michigan.