Political Quotes

“I rise today to discuss S. 744, the Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act. From the very beginning of this debate, I have said that our Nation needs immigration reform. I have also urged Senate leadership to ensure that the Senate has ample opportunity to debate this bill, amend it, and take the hard votes necessary to make the bill as good as it can be. To ignore this problem and to do nothing to change the status quo would be a disservice to the American people and a great detriment to our country. I have also said throughout this process that in order to enact meaningful, comprehensive immigration reform we have to strengthen border security. It is true that the border security portion of the underlying bill needed significant improvement. Through the hard work and negotiations led by my colleagues Senator Hoeven and Senator Corker the border security portion of this legislation has been addressed, and for that reason I can support this bill. The Hoeven-Corker amendment, which I cosponsored, adds 20,000 additional Border Patrol agents to the southern border. It requires twice the original amount of fencing along the border--700 miles total, to be exact--and requires the Department of Homeland Security to implement a border fencing strategy to help ensure that the fence is an effective deterrent.…”