[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 160 (2014), Part 8]
[Senate]
[Pages 11143-11144]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                     IMMIGRATION REFORM ANNIVERSARY

  Mr. LEAHY. Madam President, one year ago tomorrow, the Senate came 
together to pass historic legislation to reform our broken immigration 
system. We did so with a strong bipartisan vote and after weeks of 
exhaustive work. The Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and 
Immigration Modernization Act would unite families, spur the economy, 
and help protect our borders. Above all else, this historic legislation 
would create an immigration system that is worthy of our American 
values.
  Today, our system does not reflect the values we hold as a nation. It 
is devastating that after 1 year, the House has yet to pass desperately 
needed immigration reform. The cost of inaction is all around us, from 
the millions of workers who are forced to live in the shadows without 
fully contributing to our economy, to the foreign-born students who are 
taking their skills overseas when they graduate instead of investing 
their talents here, to the uncertainty that continues to plague our 
agricultural and dairy industries because of unstable work visa 
programs. Families are being torn apart by deportations, and visa 
applicants around the world find themselves stuck in limbo because of 
our lengthy visa backlogs. However, nowhere is the cost of inaction 
more evident than in the faces of the young children sleeping on cold 
floors in detention centers on our border.
  The humanitarian crisis at the border is growing, and we have a moral 
duty to address it. I was glad this body came together last year to 
support my bipartisan Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization 
Act, which included important new provisions to improve the treatment 
of unaccompanied children at our border. This vital legislation, signed 
into law as part of the Leahy-Crapo Violence Against Women 
Reauthorization Act of 2013 provides additional advocates and support 
for the unaccompanied youngsters who come to our border often fleeing 
violence and abuse in their country of origin. I was proud when the 
Republican-controlled House voted overwhelmingly to support these 
important protections for unaccompanied minors. But they address just 
one piece of a rapidly growing problem. To truly address the crisis we 
are seeing today, the Republican House must act to pass bipartisan and 
comprehensive immigration reform.
  Those Republican critics who claim we must first secure our border 
before the House will vote on immigration reform should actually read 
the bipartisan Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration 
Modernization Act that the Senate passed last year. The bill would 
double the number of Border Patrol agents and authorize the completion 
of a 700-mile wall at the southern border. This language was a 
Republican demand during Senate consideration of the legislation. While 
I did not agree with it, I voted to authorize this so-called border 
surge because I supported the broader reform that would do so much for 
the families and DREAMers who contribute to the fabric of this Nation. 
Border security measures take up an entire title of the

[[Page 11144]]

legislation, allocating billions of dollars to border security in 
addition to the considerable expenditures already authorized by 
existing law. Those measures are reinforced by ``triggers'' that must 
be satisfied before undocumented individuals may apply for permanent 
residence under the bill. These issues were hard-fought in the Senate, 
and the result was legislation that dramatically reshaped the landscape 
for border enforcement. So I say again, those who claim we must secure 
our border before passing immigration reform should look at the bill 
this Senate passed with broad bipartisan support a year ago.
  Americans have seen too much inaction in Washington. The issue before 
us is too important to simply put off for another time. Just as House 
Republican leaders set aside partisanship to do what is right by 
passing the Leahy-Crapo Violence Against Women Act, they should again 
recognize that a majority of the Chamber supports passing comprehensive 
immigration reform. Immigration reform should not be held back due to 
partisan caucus rules that say only legislation supported by the 
majority of Republicans can be considered. All Members, Democrats and 
Republicans, should have the courage to vote. House Republican leaders 
cast aside partisanship and showed their courage last year by bringing 
the Leahy-Crapo Violence Against Women Act to the floor. They should do 
so again today.
  Legislating is about making tough choices. It is not about standing 
on the sidelines and complaining that this solution is not perfect. It 
is about supporting efforts that move this country forward. The 
bipartisan legislation we passed had the support of businesses, 
community and faith leaders. It received support from groups ranging 
from the chamber of commerce and Americans for Tax Reform to law 
enforcement, university presidents, civil rights groups, and community 
advocates. Voices from across the Nation and the political spectrum 
came together in support of enacting long-overdue reforms.
  I have been privileged to serve in this great body for nearly four 
decades because of the trust of the people of Vermont. In my time here, 
I have rarely seen such commitment to an issue as I did last year to 
comprehensive immigration reform. What was initially a proposal from 
the so-called Gang of 8 went through an extensive committee and floor 
process to allow every Senator to offer their input. The result was an 
historic bill supported by 68 Senators from both sides of the aisle. I 
congratulate those Senators for their hard work to pass this historic 
legislation. They share my belief that the status quo is not an option. 
President Obama, who has called the crisis at the border an ``urgent 
humanitarian situation,'' knows that maintaining the system we have in 
place today is not an option. We need a long-term plan to address the 
many problems in our immigration system and to ensure that in the 
future we have the tools to address crises like the one we are seeing 
now. That solution lies in passing the Senate immigration bill.
  There is still time this year to accomplish meaningful and historic 
reform. I urge Republican leaders in the House not to waste another day 
and to bring up the bipartisan Border Security, Economic Opportunity, 
and Immigration Modernization Act.

                          ____________________