[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 116 (Tuesday, July 11, 2017)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E954]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                               KATE'S LAW

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                         HON. PETER A. DeFAZIO

                               of oregon

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, June 29, 2017

  Mr. DeFAZIO. Mr. Speaker, on June 29th I voted in favor of H.R. 3004, 
Kate's Law, which increases penalties for deported criminals that 
return to the United States.
  The bill is named after Kate Steinle, who was killed in San Francisco 
by a Mexican national who had seven felony convictions on his record 
and had been deported five times and had once again returned to the 
United States.
  I have always argued that we need comprehensive immigration reform to 
fix our broken immigration system. In 2013, I cosponsored the House 
Democratic comprehensive immigration reform bill, H.R. 15, the Border 
Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act. This 
bill included similar provisions to Kate's Law and had broad bipartisan 
support in the House and Senate.
  Opponents of the bill argue that the bill does not make exceptions 
for asylum seekers or victims of human trafficking. That is why I voted 
in favor of a Motion to Recommit H.R. 3004 offered by Representative 
Zoe Lofgren which would safeguard vulnerable victims of human 
trafficking that voluntarily present themselves at a port of entry. 
Unfortunately, it failed on a 193 to 232 vote.
  I have always maintained that undocumented immigrants who commit a 
crime in the U.S. should be deported. While this bill is not perfect, 
Kate's Law ensures that dangerous criminals are prosecuted accordingly. 
I am committed to regaining control of our country's borders and have 
fought to restrict individuals who would do our citizens harm--both 
through terrorist attacks, drug smuggling, and other illicit activity--
from entering the United States.
  H.R. 3004 is not a perfect bill. It now heads to the Senate, where I 
hope it will be improved to include exceptions for victims of 
trafficking and those seeking asylum, similar to the comprehensive bill 
in 2013, and sent back to the House for further debate.

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