We would do better to do more to encourage and assist those who wish to be citizens to learn English. but we should recognize English. as Senator SALAZARS amendment suggested. as our common and unifying language. Yesterday. once we had overcome the previous Republican filibuster. we were faced with a budget point of order supported by some Senators who oppose the bill and who added significantly to the costs of the bill through their amendments. Rather than continue their efforts to delay or derail Senate action on comprehensive immigration reform. I had hoped that they would join with us in a constructive way to enact comprehensive immigration reform. We do not need more divisiveness. derision. and obstruction. This bill is not the bill I would have designed. It includes many features I do not support and fails to include many that I do. The bill that won the bipartisan support of a majority of the Judiciary Committee was a compromise that contained the essential components that are required for comprehensive immigration reform. Before the last recess I was willing to support a further compromise that incorporated the principles of the HagelMartinez bill because it was proposed by the majority leader as a "breakthrough" that would allow us to pass immigration reform. I want to express my appreciation to the Democratic leader. Senator REID.
Keywords matched
immigration