Kathy Castor: “I thank the gentleman for yielding time. Mr. Speaker, this is a terrible time for Republicans in Congress to play…”

“I thank the gentleman for yielding time. Mr. Speaker, this is a terrible time for Republicans in Congress to play political games with America's homeland security. Our country and its citizens must remain safe and secure. International travel, border crossings, and our transportation systems must be protected. In Florida, this is an economic issue as well. In a recent Gallup Poll, Americans named politicians as their top concern over even the economy and jobs, and this Republican bill is a fine example of why that is: at the heart of the House Republicans' obstruction of homeland security is their inattention to bipartisan solutions and their continued dodging of needed immigration reform. Remember last session? The Senate passed a bipartisan bill. It was passed overwhelmingly, but it hit a roadblock here in the House, and this roadblock continues to be a drag on the economy. One particularly heartless amendment will be offered by Republicans that directs young DREAM Act students to pack their bags and leave America, even though America is the only country they have ever known. The SPEAKER pro tempore. The time of the gentlewoman has expired.”