I hope today's discussion is the start of a productive debate on immigration reform--one that seeks to serve this nation's workers and employers.

If we want the economy to grow, we will need workers.

Hearing held on March 14, 2013

President Reagan often referred to our nation as a 'shining city on a hill.'

What is needed, and the challenge you face as legislators, is an immigration system that reflects the needs of the economy.

A well-designed guest worker program is in the best interests of the potential migrants.

our challenge is to create a mechanism that responds to the needs of business in a market-driven way while also protecting the wages and working conditions of U.S. and immigrant workers.

I detect that there may be a second negative of air conditioning.

This is an issue and I would concur with both sides of the rostrum here that immigration is a huge issue that we have to address.

We want to encourage the American dream.

We will consider that, and ultimately, to have the opportunity to do good work.

I share their concern, as I think all of my colleagues do, with making sure that unnecessary or unjustified litigation doesn't stifle innovation and entrepreneurship.

Last Congress, Congressmen Himes and Garrett introduced bipartisan legislation (H.R. 3283) that would provide clarity on this issue.

I was hesitant at the very beginning of this hearing to use the word patent trolls, thinking that perhaps it was an unnecessarily aggressive expression.

Maybe we need to bring in 100,000 or 50,000.

I think we struggle with this as a metric--that is the way we are going to measure progress and making the border more secure.

The crime rates in their communities were at the lowest level in decades and were continuing to decline.

I want the bill to be better so we can pass it.