Sheila Jackson Lee: “In closing, let me again congratulate Congresswoman Speier and Congressman Woodall. I am equally grateful when we have…”

“In closing, let me again congratulate Congresswoman Speier and Congressman Woodall. I am equally grateful when we have the opportunity to work together. I see this as an opportunity on many, many issues. For example, this legislation, albeit simple in context, has a broad influence and impact. It means that anyone who is intending to do harm by either having stolen mail or by having taken a document that does not belong to them now can be thwarted. In this climate in which we must be particularly sensitive in protecting the Nation against terrorism, domestic terrorism, people misusing documents, or identity theft, this is a very important contribution to thwarting that effort. As has been indicated, it gives individuals who work very hard and who desire the American Dream the opportunity to be documented. I think it fits very well in what I hope will be an ongoing commitment to improving the immigration system to the extent of passing comprehensive immigration reform, because it does recognize that there are people who are desiring to do good who come to this country. For that reason, I ask my colleagues to support this important contribution to those who work hard, who choose to support the values of this Nation, and who work hard as new immigrants and as potential citizens of this Nation. I ask my colleagues to support H.R. 4712. I also thank the Judiciary Committee for its work on this legislation. Mr.…”