Speech #1100057034

Mr. President. our country today faces serious issues with our immigration policy. I appreciate the opportunity that we have before us to engage in this important debate and to work the will of the Senate on this complex matter. The legislation we have before us. the compromise reached by a number of our colleagues. has provided us with a starting point for reform of a broken immigration system and to strengthen our border security. Recognizing. however. that there are ways that we can improve upon the work of the "grand compromise." as it has come to be known. I have joined with Senator CORNYN as a cosponsor of an amendment that would increase the amount of funding made available to State and local governments to mitigate the costs of public education and health care created by the inadequacy of our current immigration system. I understand from my conversations with Virginians around the State that unauthorized immigration has caused a fiscal burden on State and local governments. one which must be addressed by this Congress. The provisions of the legislation before us include a crucial State impact assistance account that would provide reimbursement for state and local entitles for the vital services that they provide. The amendment that I am pleased to cosponsor adds additional funding to this account without adding a burden to taxpayers. By increasing. for immigrants in both the Y- and Zvisa categories. the fee that these applicants must pay at the time of their application. this amendment makes a positive step toward alleviating the burdens faced by health providers. educational agencies. and others eligible for funding through the State impact assistance account. Under this amendment. the fee on applicants for these categories would be set at $750. and an additional fee of $100 would be set for each additional dependent. For the primary applicants in both the Y- and Zvisa categories. this represents an increase of only $250 above the legislation in its current form. I note that this amount $750 is also the same fee agreed upon under legislation passed by the Senate with a majority of support last year. In my view. any legislative approach to provide overall immigration reform must rest on the foundation that an outright amnesty is unacceptable and that securing our borders is imperative. Then. in a sound. workable. and realistic way. this Congress must address the issue of the millions of undocumented workers who are already in our country. All of these components are absolutely essential to ensuring our security as a nation.