Speech #1040190240

The rule also permits the chairman of the Committee on the Judiciary or his designee to offer amendments en bloc or germane modifications thereof. Amendments offered en bloc shall be considered as read and shall be debatable for 20 minutes. The issue of both legal and illegal immigration is one of the most contentious debates that we will have this year. This rule. while not an open rule. is fair and very balanced. It offers the House the opportunity to debate nearly all of the important and substantive issues surrounding both illegal and legal immigration reform. This debate will stretch over more than 2 days. and will highlight the important issues addressed by this wellcrafted legislation. The bills principal author. the gentleman from Texas . has worked long and hard ensuring that all parties truly interested in dealing with the overlapping issues of illegal and legal immigration have participated in a bipartisan process. Mr. Speaker. illegal immigration has reached crisis proportions in my State of California. We deal daily with a flood of illegal immigrants who are coming across the border seeking government services. job opportunities. and family members. There is simply no question that the President. for all his rhetoric. has failed to make this a top priority. He opposed Californias proposition 187. He vetoed legislation establishing that illegal immigrants are not entitled to Federal and State welfare services. He vetoed reimbursement to the States for the cost of incarcerating illegal immigrant felons. and his Justice Department has been woefully slow in disbursing to States the meager incarceration funds that were appropriated back in 1994. Mr. Speaker. as Members well know. California will never support a President that is soft on illegal immigration. Illegal immigration might just be taking center stage in Washington today. but the issue is like an overnight sensation in Hollywood. This is a problem that has been building up for years and years. A decade ago my colleague. the gentleman from Glendale. CA [Mr. MOORHEADJ. who is retiring after 24 years of highly distinguished service. offered amendments to strengthen the Border Patrol when Congress last addressed immigration reform. Many Members of Congress. especially the Members from California. like Mr. Kni.