Political Quotes

“I rise to oppose H.R. 418, the REAL ID Act. This bill is an expansion of the Patriot Act intended to punish immigrants without making America any safer. Any time a bill is brought to the floor with no hearings, no committee markup, and few opportunities for amendments, it indicates that its sponsors are trying to protect it from scrutiny. That's certainly the case here. Indeed a close look at this bill shows that its true purpose is not to make America safer, but to advance an agenda of ending America's tradition of welcoming and protecting the rights of immigrants. This bill is about much more than driver's licenses. It upends the process of granting asylum to individuals and families who have suffered torture or persecution in other countries. It expands the PATRIOT Act to allow more deportations for people with no connection to terrorism. No one doubts the need to review standards for issuing driver's licenses. That is why Congress worked on a bipartisan basis to implement the recommendations of the 9/11 Commission. The recently enacted 9/11 bill established minimum Federal standards to ensure the integrity of drivers' licenses issuance and verification. The regulations are in the process of being developed, with the input of the state agencies that issue driver's licenses. Enacting a new bill that prescribes eligibility for driver's licenses would delay and disrupt the implementation of the 9/11 bill's standards even before they have been put in place.”