Political Quotes

“Mr. President, I appreciate the remarks of the distinguished Senators from Iowa, North Dakota, and Kentucky. I think what people find so maddening about Congress and Washington, DC, is even when we agree, we still cannot seem to get anything done. How is it that we can agree on the importance of additional STEM green cards and still not be able to get anything done? This is not about what is perfect, but this is about what is possible given what has happened in the House of Representatives. We could do this today and send it to the President of the United States in the next couple of days so he can sign it. The question is, How many more years will pass while we have these highly qualified students who graduate from our own colleges and universities with master's degrees and Ph.D.s in science, technology, engineering, and math before we finally address the problem? I realize there is other legislation people would like to have considered, but this has actually passed the House of Representatives. I remember the hearing we had in the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration of which I am the ranking member. The Senator from New York said at that time--and this would not be a surprise to him since these are his own words, and it is consistent with what he said on the Senate floor: If we do not enact an immigration policy that continues to attract the world's best minds, we will cease to be the world's economic leader. That is why I call this a self-inflicted wound.…”