Political Quotes

“in response to the gentleman and the gentlewoman's remarks, either this amendment does something or it does nothing. We thought when the 1996 Act was passed, it did something, and we found out it has done nothing because local government has defied Federal law. So I am not swayed by the argument that NSCSL or the League of Cities or the counties oppose this amendment. They are the people that are contravening Federal law today. It is the Congress that sets the Federal law, not local government. We need to support this amendment for those reasons. With regard to the gentlewoman from California's remarks on her confidentiality policy which I had described as a sanctuary policy, undocumented immigrants would be intimidated not to take their cases to law enforcement. I understand that argument. And in fact, one is swayed by that to some degree. But the other side of this is that we have millions of American citizens that we need to attend to. And if we are going to enforce our laws, that argument will always be an argument that can come to this floor to make the case that we should not enforce them because it might intimidate people who are living beyond the law. Mr. Chairman, I ask support for this amendment. It is prudent. It is reasonable. It supports existing Federal law. Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time. The Acting CHAIRMAN. The question is on the amendment offered by the gentleman from Iowa (Mr. King).…”