Speech #1130127799

I dont believe that is what my colleagues will suggest. but that appears to be how they are judging this nominee and why they have chosen to hold up confirmation of so many nominees. They have raised the political bar so high as to deny any ability for this President to fill key positions in government and in our embassies abroadall to score political points and diminish the ability of this President and this institution of government. Sarah Saldana is more than qualified to head Immigration and Customs Enforcement. She is more than qualified to oversee the agency my Republican colleagues fully support. which is responsible for enforcement of immigration laws. national security. drug smuggling. human trafficking. cyber security. and child exploitation. She will direct the agency that tracks down people without documentationthat is what my Republican friends want. Yet they have set the political bar so high that they have made it impossible for them to get what they claim to want most when it comes to immigration policythat is immigration enforcement. The illogic of their position is just mind boggling. The Senator from Texas comes to this floor for one purpose. and one purpose only. in my viewto rail against the President. to castigate him for doing what his own partys iconic Ronald Reagan did when he was President. George H.W. Bush did when he was President. and what every President has done to defer deportations when keeping peoples lives and families together were in the balance. My friend from Texas wants to join his House colleagues and score political points with the most extreme elements of his party. So be it. But I wish to remind everyone that this isnt a game. I would say to the junior Senator from Texas that instead of floor theatrics and playing politics. it is time to step up and govern. It is time to confirm Sarah Saldana and put her in charge of Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Lets do the work we were sent here to do. I say to my friend from Texas what I have said before on this floor. There is a simple antidote to Executive action. It is to have our friends in the House of Representatives pass immigration reform. Pass it. Call it up for a vote.