Madam President, I rise in advance of the discussion that will be taking place in a very few minutes on the National Defense Authorization Act. I want to compliment and acknowledge the leadership of Senator Reed of Rhode Island and Senator Inhofe and, of course, Senator McCain, for whom this bill is named. They have provided amazing leadership, as the Presiding Officer knows from her membership on the committee, by bringing this bill to the floor. I look forward to supporting it later this afternoon. Family Separation Policy Madam President, I do want to take a few moments to discuss a different subject, which is what is going on at our southern border. Secure borders and limits on immigration are necessary and justified in any country, and that is why there were major border security provisions in the comprehensive immigration reform act that passed this body by two-thirds--67 votes--in 2013. If that bill had even been taken up in the House, I believe it would have passed, it would have been signed, and a lot of the problems we are having today around the issue of immigration would already be solved. I believe in border security. I believe in necessary limits. This is a difficult issue--I understand that. It is difficult in part because of the proximity of our country to some of the most violent countries in the world, with the highest murder rates, countries from which people are literally fleeing for their lives.…
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Under the Constitution, I vote no. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Pursuant to rule XII, no debate is permitted during a vote. The Senator will suspend. The clerk will continue to call the roll. The legislative clerk called the roll.
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