[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 43, Number 24 (Monday, June 18, 2007)]
[Pages 795-796]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Remarks Following a Meeting With the Republican Senate Policy Committee

June 12, 2007

    I just had a good exchange with my fellow Republicans. We talked 
about a lot of issues. I briefed them on my trip to Europe. We talked 
about--they were very interested in the Ahtisaari plan for Kosovo. They 
were interested in my conversations with Vladimir Putin on missile 
defense. We talked about the energy bill. We talked about the 
appropriations process

    And we talked about immigration. Some Members in there believe that 
we need to move a comprehensive bill; some don't. I understand that. 
This is a highly emotional issue, but those of us standing here believe 
now is the time to move a comprehensive bill that enforces our borders 
and has good workplace enforcement, that doesn't grant automatic 
citizenship, that addresses this problem in a comprehensive way.

    I would hope that the Senate majority leader has that same sense of 
desire to move the product that I do--or the bill that I do and these 
Senators do because now is the time to get it done. It's going to take a 
lot of hard work, a lot of effort. We've got to convince the American 
people that this bill is the best way to enforce our border. I believe 
without the bill, that it's going to be harder to enforce the border. 
The status quo was unacceptable. And I want to thank those Senators on 
both sides of the aisle who understand the time is now to move a 
comprehensive piece of legislation. The White House will stay engaged.

    Thank you very much.

Note: The President spoke at 1:54 p.m. at the U.S. Capitol. In his 
remarks, he referred to former President Martti Ahtisaari of Finland, 
United Nations Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for the Future 
Status Process of Kosovo; and President Vladimir Putin of Russia. The 
Office of the Press Secretary also released a Spanish language 
transcript of these remarks.

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