On the recordFebruary 12, 2018
we have had a chance today to listen to my colleagues discuss what we think is the only piece of legislation that can get through the Senate, through the House of Representatives, and, most importantly, be signed by the President of the United States. All are cosponsors of this bill, except Senator Hatch, who spoke on another issue that he is very interested in, but it is a very important immigration issue as well. We heard from Senator Cornyn. Then I spoke. Senator Cotton spoke and Senator Ernst, Senator Tillis, and Senator Lankford. Senator Perdue is one of those who is a cosponsor of the bill and would have liked to have been here to speak, but he is just now returning from his constituency. We have tried to lay out a path to giving DACA kids certainty, doing it from a standpoint of being humanitarian for people who were brought to this country by their parents. Their parents may have broken the law--and they did break the law--by coming over our borders without documentation, but we never should hold children responsible for what their parents did. This legislation takes a compassionate and reasonable approach to reforms, including a pathway to citizenship for a broad population. It grandfathers people waiting in line for family- based visas, and it expedites clearing that backlog. It helps to keep young people out of the same legal limbo in the future. This legislation is a product of compromise.…





