[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 152 (2006), Part 8]
[House]
[Pages 11258-11259]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                              IMMIGRATION

  Mr. OSBORNE. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to consume the time 
of Mr. Jones.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Without objection, the gentleman from 
Nebraska is recognized for 5 minutes.
  There was no objection.
  Mr. OSBORNE. Mr. Speaker, immigration has been the number one concern 
of many Americans in recent months. The House passed a bill last 
December which dealt mostly with tough border security. It provided for 
more Border Control agents, a 700-mile fence, different penalties for 
illegally entering the U.S., and substantial penalties for employers 
who employ illegal immigrants.
  The Senate, more recently, passed a bill with tight border security 
but also had language which addresses the problem of the 11 to 12 
million illegal immigrants now in the United States. Some believe the 
Senate's three-tiered approach to dealing with undocumented workers now 
in the U.S. amounts to what many would refer to as amnesty. Their 
approach is as follows:
  Those illegal immigrants that have been in the United States for 0-2 
years would be deported; those who have been illegally in the United 
States between 2 and 5 years would have to return to the border for 
processing and then reenter the country receiving a work permit; those 
who have been in the country for 5 years or more illegally would be 
able to obtain a legal status by paying a fine and meeting some other 
requirements.
  So many have been concerned about this because it does mean that you 
could enter the country illegally and gain a legal status while still 
in the United States, which again many people would refer to as 
amnesty. So there is obviously tension between the House and the Senate 
bills, and the concern right now is that there may not be a bill that 
will be suitable to both bodies that can be achieved in conference.
  The big concern I think, in the House at least, is what has been 
referred to as the three-tiered approach in the Senate. And, obviously, 
most people who are here illegally at the present time are going to 
claim they have been here 5 years. It may be very difficult to 
ascertain how long somebody who is undocumented has been in the country 
because they are undocumented. It is very hard to ascertain what 
records are valid, which are not, and how long they have actually been 
here.
  As a result, I have introduced legislation that could represent some 
common ground. This obviously will be controversial. No one agrees 
entirely on how we might go about bringing the two bills together, but 
I have introduced a bill called H.R. 4065, and the basic requirement 
are as follows:
  It would require illegal aliens to return home to apply for a visa. 
In other words, they would have to return to their country of origin 
and apply at their home country consulate. Much of the paperwork could 
be done in the United States before they leave here, but it would have 
to be stamped in their home country. They then could reenter the 
country with a legal status and cross that border with papers as 
documented workers.
  Secondly, this would provide for a 3-year visa which is conditional 
on continuous employment. It would be renewed every 3 years. This would 
be open to undocumented workers with, first, a demonstrated U.S. 
employment history. They would have had to have

[[Page 11259]]

been somebody who is employed in the United States, has been employed 
satisfactorily, good recommendations by the employers, and then no 
felony convictions or any other major record of criminal activity or 
history.
  So this would satisfy the argument that these people have come into 
this country illegally, remained here, and have gained a legal status. 
They would have to return to their country of origin.
  So it establishes a new W visa for those who are classified as 
undocumented workers but have gone through these steps and stages at 
the present time.
  Congressman Pence has also introduced legislation which calls for 
illegal immigrants to leave the United States, report to centers 
located outside the country before reentering the country with a guest 
worker visa, which is somewhat similar to what I am talking about here. 
So this is not necessarily a novel or new idea, and many people have 
taken a look at it.
  The requirement for all illegal immigrants to leave the United States 
and enter into the U.S. legally with a W visa may serve as a way to 
create common ground between the House and the Senate bills.

                              {time}  1800

  It is important that an immigration bill pass this year. I think the 
American people are expecting it and hope it will happen. Yet we are so 
far apart in the two bodies that this may be difficult to effect.
  So H.R. 4065 may serve as a catalyst to compromise and final passage. 
I would like to have my colleagues at least give it some consideration 
because we will have to think outside the box a little bit. I think it 
will take some innovative solutions to this problem. It is something 
that again is something that is really important for this body to 
accomplish before the end of this session.

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