[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 109 (Thursday, September 7, 2006)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1673]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                           IMMIGRATION REFORM

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. MIKE PENCE

                               of indiana

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, September 7, 2006

  Mr. PENCE. Mr. Speaker, in my lifetime, no issue has so disturbed our 
domestic tranquility than immigration reform.
  Thanks to the leadership of this House, the American people are 
convinced we have a serious problem with illegal immigration and the 
American people know the Senate bill granting amnesty to 12M illegal 
immigrants is not the answer.
  There are many ideas of how we can move forward. Senator Kay Bailey 
Hutchison of Texas and I have proposed a compromise that would:
  --put border security first and reject amnesty;
  --after 2 years of border security only, our plan would set up a new 
guest worker program using American employment firms outside the United 
States;
  --illegal immigrants would be required to leave the country and apply 
at these Ellis Island Centers by submitting to a background check and 
health screening before being issued a 2-year guest worker visa. They 
also would have to pass an English course to renew it; and
  --tough employer sanctions would drive companies and employees into 
this new system.
  Pence-Hutchison puts border security first, and once that is 
accomplished, it creates a new guest worker program outside the United 
States without amnesty and without creating a new federal bureaucracy.
  Some in Congress think we have done enough. I believe we must do 
more. Even in this contentious election year, the American people 
expect us to ``be strong, courageous and do the work'' they elected 
this Congress to do.

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