[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 42, Number 21 (Monday, May 29, 2006)]
[Pages 1018-1019]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Statement on Senate Passage of Immigration Reform Legislation

May 25, 2006

    I commend the Senate for passing bipartisan comprehensive 
immigration reform before the Memorial Day deadline set by its leaders. 
I appreciate the hard work of the leadership and Senators on both sides 
of the aisle. An effective immigration reform bill will protect our 
borders, hold employers to account for the workers they hire, create a

[[Page 1019]]

temporary-worker program to take pressure off our border and meet the 
needs of our growing economy, address the issue of the millions of 
illegal immigrants already in our country, and honor America's great 
tradition of the melting pot. The House of Representatives began a 
national dialog by passing an immigration bill last year. Now that the 
Senate has acted, I look forward to working together with both the House 
of Representatives and the Senate to produce a bill for me to sign into 
law.

Note: The statement referred to S. 2611. The Office of the Press 
Secretary also released a Spanish language transcript of this statement.