Speech #1140002749

In 2010 the Obama administration began a policy of granting parole to the spouses. parents. and children of military members. Mr. Chair. because of the Presidents leadership and farsighted executive action. 594.000 undocumented immigrants in my home state of Texas are eligible for deferred action. If these immigrants are able to remain united with their families and receive a temporary work permit. it would lead to a $338 million increase in tax revenues. over five years. Mr. Chair. the Presidents laudable executive actions are a welcome development but not a substitute modernizing the nations immigration laws. Only Congress can do that. Americas borders are dynamic. with constantly evolving security challenges. Border security must be undertaken in a manner that allows actors to use pragmatism and common sense. And as shown by the success in the last Congress of H.R. 1417. the bipartisan "Border Security Results Act. which I helped to write and introduced along with the senior leaders of the House Homeland Security Committee. we can do this without putting the nation at risk or rejecting our national heritage as a welcoming and generous nation. This legislation has been incorporated in H.R. 15. the bipartisan "Border Security. Economic Opportunity. and Immigration Modernization Act." legislation which reflects nearly all of the core principles announced professed last year by House Republicans. As a nation of immigrants. the United States has set the example for the world as to what can be achieved when people of diverse backgrounds. cultures. and experiences come together. It is now time to open the golden symbolized by Lady Libertys lamp to the immigrant community of today so they can participate fully in the American Dream. These loyal and lawabiding persons have been waiting patiently for far too long for their chance. We can and should seize this historic opportunity pass legislation to ensure that we have in place adequate systems and resources to secure our borders while at the same preserving Americas character as the most open and welcoming country in the history of the world and to reap the hundreds of billions of dollars in economic productivity that will result from comprehensive immigration reform. President Obama has acted boldly. responsibly. and compassionately in exercising his constitutional authority to enforce the immigration laws in an effective and humane manner. If congressional Republicans. who refused to debate comprehensive immigration reform legislation for more than 500 days. disapprove of the lawful actions taken by the President. an alternative course of action is readily available to them: pass a bill and send it to the President for signature. The President has shown responsible leadership. The next move is for congressional Republicans to stop playing Russian Roulette with the security of Americas homeland and bring to the floor a clean Homeland Security spending bill that the President can sign into law.