Speech #1090135986

I thank the Democratic leader. who is on the floor of the Senate. for his cooperation. and I thank all Senators for their cooperation and I am looking forward to similar activity. I think we are poised to complete action on this bill this week as contemplated. We have maintained a delicate perhaps even tenuous coalition in support of the bill reported by the Judiciary Committee as we have worked through the underlying contentious issue as to how to handle 11 million undocumented immigrants with a view not to creating a fugitive class of Americans. remembering our roots as a nation. that we are a nation of immigrants. and recognizing the contribution which the undocumented immigrants. although here illegally. the contribution which they make to our economy. We have faced a significant resistance to the bill on the ground that it constitutes amnesty. As I have contended before. it is not amnesty. We cant repeat that too often to remind people that amnesty is when you forgive transgression or forgive a wrong or forgive a crime. The undocumented immigrants will have to pay a fine. They will have to pay back taxes. They will have to go through criminal background checks.