Political Quotes

“Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I cosponsored this legislation introduced by Congresswoman Lofgren, chair of the Immigration Subcommittee, and I urge my colleagues to support it. Our Nation has a wonderful tradition of welcoming newcomers. We admit more than 1 million legal immigrants a year, as many as all other nations combined. This legislation continues that generosity by ensuring that American parents who want to open their homes and hearts to children from around the world are able to do so. The Immigration and Nationality Act provides that U.S. citizens can adopt foreign children and have the children considered immediate relatives for immigration purposes if the children are adopted while under the age of 16 years. American families who initiated adoptions of foreign children by their 16th birthdays but were not able to complete the adoptions by that date have often sought relief from their Representatives in Congress. We have responded sympathetically. Congress has routinely passed private bills over the years to allow these families to sponsor their adopted children for permanent resident status in the U.S. In fact, Congress has so routinely passed such private bills that it makes sense for us to simply modify the law and provide a broad remedy. This legislation provides that for immigration purposes, adoptions by U.S. parents have to be completed by the age of 18 instead of 16.…”