Speech #1090173497

I rise today to express strong opposition to the majoritys failure to seriously address the important issue of immigration reform. Congress has had a real opporlunity this year to produce meaningful bipartisan comprehensive immigration reform. But instead Republican leaders have decided to play election year politics and cater to their base with bills like these. These bills are further proof that Republicans are not serious about real reform on immigration. On the other hand. Democrats are serious about immigration reform and border security. If our amendments had been adopted over the last five years. there would be 6.600 more Border Patrol Agents and 2.700 more immigration enforcement agents along our borders. Republicans instead have held "sham" hearings that produced no resultsnothing. zero. Second. they have not moved forward with a HouseSenate conference on border security/immigration reform legislation. Finally. they are trying to fool our American public by bringing up these token bills that will not be even considered in the Senate. These narrowminded bills would have little impact on closing the numerous security gaps along our borders.