Political Quotes

“Madam Speaker, I would like to thank my colleagues for joining me here today, as well as those advocates tirelessly working for comprehensive immigration reform. Nine months have passed since the Senate moved on a strongly bipartisan comprehensive immigration bill. In that time, we have heard nothing but excuses and empty promises from the Speaker. Yesterday, the Congressional Budget Office confirmed what so many of us already know: immigration is a boon for our economy. It will reduce the deficit by nearly $1 trillion, raise wages, and increase the Nation's productivity. It will make our country richer and create opportunity for all. But because the Speaker refuses to give us a vote, we have seen more families ripped apart, more jobs go overseas, and more people get stuck in a broken, outdated, and inefficient system. We can't afford to wait any longer for this House to take up immigration reform. The time has come to move this forward. Immigration reform isn't just the right thing to do, it is the smart thing to do. Our country needs it, the American people support it, and there are enough votes today in the House of Representatives to pass it. I invite all my colleagues to join me in signing the discharge petition so we can finally bring immigration reform to a vote. ____________________”