“ I rise this evening to pay tribute to two men who were bookends of what has been termed the "greatest generation," those Americans who served in World War II.”

“ I voted this morning to move this bill forward because I believe it is important for the American people to understand that we are very serious about border control.”

“ When I go out to Walter Reed Hospital to visit with our young men and women who are having new parts put on their bodies as a result of the explosions and the bombings in Iraq, I feel their spirit and their desire to continue to serve. After I speak with them of the mission they're involved in, I come back to Capitol Hill more dedicated than ever to assure that these young men and women are allowed to continue to work to finish their mission.”

“ I am not going to stand here on the floor as an advocate of the legislation and suggest we have gotten it right, but we spent a great deal of time attempting to get it right, recognizing the importance of the migrant labor force inside the American economy and, at the same time, recognizing the wishes of the American people to make it a transparent legal process with secured borders. That is what they are asking of us.”

“ We have said no to ANWR, no to OCS, no to 181 leasing, no drilling in the northern Cuba zone--at least American companies--while China drills in our backyard. American consumers need to know that the answer to their problem is not no. It is, yes, we can produce and, yes, we ought to produce and, yes, we ought to be energy independent and, yes, it ought to happen in our hemisphere, and, yes, we ought to be less dependent on foreign oil.”

“ Frankly, the United States has taken our neighbors in the western hemisphere for granted. We have hamstrung the U.S. energy sector from seeking additional resources in the region, while at the same time allowing the likes of China, Canada, Brazil, Spain, France, and others to freely seek energy opportunities 50 miles off our coast without competition from state of the art technologies and expertise of our own U.S. gas and oil industries.”

“ On the other hand, immigrant labor is behind the significant economic growth this country has experienced in different areas in recent years. These are the economic necessities of today in a growing economy. Can we recognize this? Do we see that foreign nationals are cleaning up New Orleans and binding her wounds? Do we know that the Pentagon was rebuilt by Hispanic muscle?”

“ Naturally, they are not citizens. We understand that. They probably ought to go home when they are through working, and 90 percent of them want to go home. But the irony is, as we continue to control our border, we create an impenetrable line, as we should, and those who have moved back and forth across that border historically no longer can do that.”

“ Clearly, despite the resources we have poured into the border, and with many successes, there is still much left to be done. The legislation before us, incorporated in a much broader immigration policy, is the kind of legislation that ought to go first, coupled with a responsible national immigration policy.”

“ Our past practices have focused on keeping the fish in the river and in abundant numbers so that we can have our cake and eat it too.”

“ Folks, when we are dealing with civil liberties, you don't compromise them, and you don't let the bad guys win. ”

“ It is important to remember that the soldiers of the National Guard are civilians first, and soldiers second.”

“ Over the past 15 years, Idaho's expansion in the dairy industry has been swift.”

“ CAFTA nations already enjoy duty-free quota access for sugar with the U.S., and I am not prepared to trade away an industry so vital to my State and to the overall farm economy in Idaho.”

“ Today, with the first piece of legislation I am introducing in the 109th Congress, I call on the Senate to safeguard the future, by considering and passing a Balanced Budget Amendment to the Constitution - a Bill of Economic Rights for our future and our children.”