Political Quotes

“I rise to address the 2,000-page, trillion-dollar-plus, year-end omnibus spending bill--drafted behind closed doors, away from public view, with only a limited number of people involved. Members of the Senate and Members of the House were unaware of what deals were being cut and what decisions were being made. I believe it contains provisions that will cause material harm to American workers--I just do--and to matters involving this legislation that I have worked on for years. I am very disappointed. Actually, I am deeply disappointed. This bill contains dramatic changes to Federal immigration law that would increase, by as much as four-fold, the number of low-wage foreign workers provided to employers under the controversial H-2B visa program. It has been a matter of controversy for a number of years. It has been added to this bill without hearings and without an open process in the Senate. These foreign workers are brought in exclusively to fill blue-collar, low-wage, nonfarm jobs--not agricultural jobs--in hotels and in restaurants and on construction sites, in amusement parks, landscaping, truck driving, and in many other occupations--jobs being sought by millions of Americans around this country. Millions are taking those jobs every day. When we go into hotels and restaurants, are not Americans doing those jobs?…”