Chuck Grassley

I would hope that you would agree that a change in law, if it is needed and you cannot do it on your own, that the visa revocations would not be reviewable in a court and that people who wish to harm Americans could be deported immediately.

Madam Secretary, you are right that resources are a key issue, and it is significantly a matter of court resources.

The Christmas Day bomber reminded us that, despite our best efforts, foreign terrorists can obtain a visa and make it to the United States.

I hope you can commit that they will not be, that now that we have Yuma under control, we will keep it that way.

The combination of those three things has worked to bring immigration down, illegal immigration down in the last 5 years.

I have always believed that State and local law enforcement in the normal course of their duties who apprehend people who are not lawfully in the country should turn those people over to the Federal officials, and they should be processed.

I see companies now resorting to the L visa, a program that allows workers from one company to work in their branches in affiliates in the United States.

One thing I wanted to say, and then I want to read a statement about a bill I have introduced...

The purpose of the Recovery Act was to stimulate the U.S. economy and bolster our employment.

The Inspector General found problems in 2006 with the L visa program, stating, 'It is vulnerable in several respects.'

It indicates a lack of commitment to enforcing our immigration laws when we basically tell local law enforcement, even if you know you have apprehended someone here illegally, nothing is going to be done about it.

We have got to get away from the virtual fence, complete the fencing that we are required to do, make sure we have enough people at the border to enforce the law.

The Senator is correct. The present rules are practically not much better than what we have always operated under. So there isn't transparency, and it isn't done soon enough.

Senator Wyden is correct. I would add this point, that not only is it transparency that is essential--and it happens that way--but also a lot of times holds are put on because there is something wrong. We have to know what it is somebody…

So, over a decade ago, as Senator Wyden has said, we started with a simple proposed rule that any Senator placing a hold must publish that hold in the Congressional Record.

What I object to is not the use of holds, because I do that myself, but the word 'secret' in secret holds.

The three of us, Mr. Chairman, just want to bring some transparency to the practice of holds in the Senate.

Senator Lott offered to work with us, and, along with Senator Byrd, we crafted a proposal that was more workable and enforceable.

I want to thank you publicly for having the hearings that you are having around the country on enforcement of antitrust or review of antitrust and agriculture.

I want a Freedom of Information question and discussion with you.

These questions are about transparency, about openness, and about accountability.

I hope you will send your message to all the agencies from the President.

I am not here to call into question the integrity of any employee of the Department.

This is about geographical equity for all States. The Senate health reform bill just signed into law includes a frontier sweetheart deal that improves Medicare payments for five rural States at the expense of the other 45. The special deal…

Yes? Mr. President, let's wake up. This has to be passed. It has to be passed before the end. One of the problems we always have is that it is not offset. It was included in the Baucus- Grassley bill way back in February. The leader had…