Speech #1040272589

I find myself here again on the Senate floor faced with a conference report that contains provisions that the Senate and this Senator never had a fair opportunity to consider and that will do grave damage to the United States place in the world as a refuge for the oppressed and as a champion of human rights. I say "again" because I first came to the Senate on the issue of asylum and summary exclusion last April 17 to oppose similar provisions in another conference report. I offered a motion to recommit that conference report on S. 735 in order to strike those sections added to that bill in the dark of night modifying our asylum processes. establishing summary exclusion and precluding judicial review. I objected then to those sections of that bill that had not been previously considered by the Senate and that had nothing to do with preventing terrorism. but were snuck into that conference report to alter general immigration law. I failed in that attempt to recommit the antiterrorism conference report by a mere 7 votes. I knew from the beginning that my motion to recommit has little chance of success because Members were intent on passing an antiterrorism bill in connection with the anniversary of the Oklahoma City bombing. Several Senators came up to me and said that they would have an easier time voting with me on the immigration bill and encouraged me to fix the problem when the immigration bill was considered in the Senate. When we considered the Senate immigration bill in May. I continued my efforts. With Senators DEWINE.