Political Quotes

“Madam Speaker, it seems that a good part of the debate this morning has been about what this bill is not. Both sides have mentioned the need for comprehensive immigration reform, and I couldn't agree more. We cannot enforce our way out of this immigration challenge. I have never met a border security officer who claims otherwise. This is a much broader challenge than simply enforcement or securing the border. I would hope most Members understand that and understand the urgency of moving ahead on comprehensive immigration reform. What is before us this morning is an emergency measure dealing with some border security challenges arising from the cartel violence and gang activity in Mexico which requires an emergency response, an immediate response, and a targeted response. That is what this bill provides. We have also heard a great deal about the 2011 Homeland Security Appropriations bill. Indeed, this emergency supplemental is not the regular bill. Nor is it a substitute for the regular bill. In fact, it is just what it says, it is a supplement to ongoing appropriations, a supplement designed to address this critical situation out on the southwest border which our colleagues on the border have testified to very convincingly here this morning. The 2011 Homeland Security bill is alive and well. It has been assembled on a bipartisan basis after months of hearings and discussions. It has been approved at the subcommittee level, and Members will be seeing that bill very shortly.…”