Patrick Leahy: “the Senate has taken significant and constructive steps over the past week toward fixing our Nation's broken immigration…”

“the Senate has taken significant and constructive steps over the past week toward fixing our Nation's broken immigration system. On March 27, the Senate Judiciary Committee reported a comprehensive and bipartisan package that is tough but smart. We sent to the Senate a bill that includes critical law enforcement and border security measures--tougher than the bill introduced by the majority leader earlier last month. Our bill, which was passed by a strong bipartisan 12-to-6 vote in committee, also includes realistic solutions for the problem of the millions of undocumented presently living inside our borders. We do not offer these aliens amnesty but create an incentive for them to come out of the shadows, register, and earn the opportunity to obtain legal status over the course of 11 years. Over the past week, we have taken strides to see these proposals passed into law. I thank the many Senators who have come to the floor to speak in support of the committee bill. Senators McCain and Kennedy, who did the hard work of drafting many of these measures, have made strong statements explaining why the committee bill is not an offer of amnesty but represents an earned path to legalization and eventual citizenship. Senator Feinstein spoke about how this bill is tough on enforcement but pragmatic in its temporary worker and legalization programs.…”