|
|
|
|
|
|
| Congress Today | | Press Releases | | Biography | | Site Index | |
|
Rep. Luis V. Gutierrez The Safe, Orderly, Legal Visas & Enforcement Act Remarks I am honored to be surrounded today by men and women who have a proven history of fighting for what is right for immigrants. I particularly would like to recognize the unwavering leadership of Senator Kennedy and our Caucus Chairman Bob Menendez for sharing my vision on this issue and for making this legislation a reality. The legislation we are introducing today is called the The Safe, Orderly Legal Visas and Enforcement Act," or The SOLVE Act. And it does just that: It helps solve our nation's badly broken immigration system. Unlike the President's plan that says to immigrants you are good enough to work the worst jobs for three years and then maybe for another three years, but after that you are not welcome, you are not good enough to be here--our plan rewards work and welcomes immigrant's contributions. Unlike the President's plan that says come, work and adios, our legislation respects workers. It reunites family. It reduces illegal immigration. And it reinforces national security. Instead of second-class immigration status and a clear exit sign, we offer the same welcome mat that has been a fundamental part of our nation's proud history. Our plan is predicated on fairness. It is simple and effective. It fixes fundamental flaws in our nation's immigration laws. And it addresses three key factors: earned legalization, family reunification and a break-the-mold temporary worker program. Our bill says that if you have been in the United States for five or more years, working and contributing, with good moral character, you should be a full partner in the American way of life. It says we can no longer ignore the issue of the millions of undocumented residents in our country. It keeps families together. Husbands and wives, parents and children. It eliminates the fear and uncertainty from the lives of hard-working families who want to do nothing more than to work toward the American dream. And it enhances worker protections and ensures employer accountability Tomorrow is Cinco de Mayo. And President Bush is having another party. At which, he may even talk about immigration. He will probably accompany that talk with the music of mariachi bands We offer a different vision today - a vision of real progress. Instead of President Bush’s mariachi bands, we offer backlog reductions and a clear path to permanency for immigrants. We offer a system free of fear and uncertainty and full of promise and progress. And in helping develop this proposal, I took inspiration from a Republican. It was President Theodore Roosevelt who said, “this country will not be a permanently good place for any of us to live in unless we make it a reasonably good place for all of us to live in.” President Roosevelt’s words are why in more than 30 cities, the immigrants' rights leadership are standing together in support of this legislation. America can be a fair place for all immigrants and it must. Because our security as a nation depends on a system that brings millions of individuals out of the darkness, out of the shadows, and into the light of accountability. America depends on our hard-working immigrants, and America deserves an immigration policy as dependable as they are. In the end, this bill is about people. It’s about people America needs. I meet them every day. They work at minimum wage jobs. With inadequate health care. They do not complain. They long only for a better life for their children. And they love America. And they want to be Americans. And America should want them and embrace them. We can show them our support, and our appreciation, by passing this legislation. Thank you again for coming today.
|
||||||||||||
This is an official Web site of the United States House of Representatives.