    [Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 42, Number 17 (Monday, May 1, 2006)]
    [Page 794]
    [Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

    <R04>
    Remarks Following a Meeting With Members of the Senate

    April 25, 2006

        I want to thank the Members of the United States Senate for joining
    on a very important discussion, and the discussion was how to get a
    comprehensive immigration bill out of the United States Senate.
        I will report to the American people that there is a common desire
    to have a bill that enforces the border, a bill that has interior
    enforcement--in other words, a bill that will hold people to account for
    hiring somebody who is here illegally but a bill that also recognizes we
    must have a temporary-worker program, a bill that does not grant
    automatic amnesty to people but a bill that says, somebody who is
    working here on a legal basis has the right to get in line to become a
    citizen.
        I thank the Members, both Republicans and Democrats, for taking on
    this really hard, hard assignment. It's important that we reform a
    system that is not working. It's important that we uphold the values of
    the United States of America. It's important that we treat people with
    dignity.
        And I strongly believe that we have a chance to get an immigration
    bill that is comprehensive in nature to my desk before the end of this
    year.
        And again, I want to thank both the Republicans and Democrats for
    the spirit of hard work. I particularly want to thank Senator Kennedy
    and Senator McCain for taking the lead on this important bill on the
    floor of the United States Senate. And I assured the Members that I look
    forward to working with them as they try to get a bill out of the Senate
    by Memorial Day and into conference.
        Thank you all.

    Note: The President spoke at 4:23 p.m. in the Cabinet Room at the White
    House. The Office of the Press Secretary also released a Spanish
    language transcript of these remarks.