Charles W. Stenholm: “I rise in strong support in H.R. 2202, the Immigration in the National Interest Act. I am a strong supporter of both…”

“I rise in strong support in H.R. 2202, the Immigration in the National Interest Act. I am a strong supporter of both illegal and legal immigration reform and I am gratified to have the opportunity to debate this important matter on the floor of the House. But before I continue, I would be remiss if I did not commend Lamar Smith and John Bryant, chairman and ranking member of the Subcommittee on Immigration and Claims, for the leadership they have shown on this issue. Our Nation is in dire need of comprehensive immigration reform and I thank them for taking on this difficult task. We are all aware of the tremendous strain that the massive inflow of illegal aliens is having on Texas and other border States. Illegal aliens and criminal aliens are having a significant impact on State services, such as health care, public safety, education, and criminal justice. However, in addition to combating illegal immigration, I believe that we must also address legal immigration in a fair manner. I am not opposed to immigrants coming to America seeking a better life, for I am a descendent of Swedish immigrants. And while I believe that the majority of immigrants have made, and continue to make, significant contributions to our society, I oppose increasing immigration levels until we control the overwhelming number of illegal aliens coming into our country. In order to combat and deter illegal immigration, H.R. 2202 steps up both border security and interior enforcement.”