Harry Reid

Mr. REID

Mr. REID. I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.

Mr. REID. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the time for debate only be extended until 8:30 and that I be recognized at that time.

Mr. REID. And that we would have the time equally divided between the majority and the minority for the next hour.

Mr. REID. I would also say this: The amendment we have been waiting for I think is done. We finally got the last signoff just a few minutes ago.

Mr. REID. To extend the time for debate only until 8:30 with the time equally divided.

Mr. REID. Mr. President, I appreciate the distinguished chairman of the committee for saying some nice things about me, but my involvement in this is minimal compared to many other people. Mr. President, if we have someone suggest the absence of a quorum over the next 2 minutes, I ask unanimous consent that the time be equally divided.

Mr. REID. Are there any other questions anyone has?

Mr. REID. Has the Senator from Alabama heard now? It is that we extend the time for debate only equally divided between the majority and minority until 8:30 tonight.

Mr. REID. I note the absence of a quorum.

Mr. REID. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the previous order be extended; that is, that there be 1 additional hour for debate only equally divided between the two parties; and that any quorum calls during this period of time be charged to both sides.

Mr. REID. Mr. President, the previous order said I would be recognized when the time ran out. So I ask that it be the case that I be recognized at 9:30.

Mr. REID. The hour of 9:30 being momentarily here, I ask unanimous consent that the prior agreement that was in effect the last hour be continued for another hour until 10:30. It means I will be recognized at 10:30, that we will--this will be for debate only, the time will be divided between the two sides, and that any quorums called during the hour will be equally divided.

Mr. REID

Mr. REID. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to a period of morning business with Senators allowed to speak therein for up to 10 minutes each.

Mr. REID

Mr. REID. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to S. Res. 179 and S. Res. 180.

Mr. REID. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the resolutions be agreed to and the motions to reconsider be laid upon the table en bloc, with no intervening action or debate.

Mr. REID

Mr. REID. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that when the Senate completes its business today, it adjourn until 10:30 a.m., Friday, June 21; that following the prayer and pledge the morning hour be deemed expired, the Journal of proceedings be approved to date, the time for the two leaders be reserved for their use later in the day; and that following any leader remarks, the Senate resume consideration of S. 744, the immigration bill.

Mr. REID

Mr. REID. Mr. President, I really appreciate the Presiding Officer being here for this extended period of time. I am very grateful, and, as always, the State of Maine is very fortunate to have such an accomplished statesman in the Senate.

Mr. REID

Mr. REID. If there is no further business to come before the Senate, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate stand adjourned under the previous order.

Mr. REID

Mr. REID. Mr. President, for the benefit of all Senators and staff, people have worked very hard. Lots of Senators, 20 Senators, have been involved, and many more off and on, but 20 on a continual basis all day today and even last night. The amendment is ready but we have to make sure it is truly ready. I have been to a few of these rodeos, and we want to make sure the amendment that has been worked on all day is going to be one that is the final one. We don't want to have an amendment and then have to deal with it in some other way. So what we are going to do tomorrow is we are going to come in at 10:30 and, hopefully, at that time we will be in a position to move forward on this legislation. Right now, it seems it would be senseless for us to stay any longer tonight because it is simply not going to be ready before midnight.

Mr. REID

Mr. REID. Mr. President, following the leader remarks of myself and Senator McConnell the Senate will be in morning business for an hour. The Republicans will control the first half, the majority the final half. Following that morning business the Senate will resume consideration of the immigration bill. We have in order a number of amendments that are now pending. I would hope the managers of this bill will work to get time agreements set for these amendments and we will work out a time to do these as quickly as we can. But if we have to have an agreement to move forward on these amendments--and I would suggest I do not want and I do not think we should have to move to table any of the amendments or anything like that; I think we should be able to have votes on these--I look forward to the managers working out a time agreement on these amendments so we can move forward and move on to something else on this bill as quickly as possible.

Mr. REID

Mr. REID. Mr. President, the life of a young woman by the name of Roxanna began as an immigration success story. Her parents came from Cuba in the 1950s, and they raised their daughter to appreciate the freedoms and opportunities available to her. That was because she was born in the United States. Roxanna was born in the United States. She is an American citizen. She wrote to me last month. Here is what she said: I am proud to say that this country has always been my home. But when she met her husband Genaro, she saw a different side of the American immigration system. He came to the United States 15 years ago, and he did not have proper documentation, proper paperwork. He left Mexico for the same reasons Roxanna's parents left Cuba--to try, to try really hard to build a better life. He worked tremendously long hours when he got here, doing odd jobs for not very much--a few dollars a day, to be honest. Then he moved to Nevada, got a job doing construction, did a little better, and there he did real well because he met Roxanna. They married in 2003 and soon petitioned to have his undocumented status changed, adjusted. Although they initially received a letter from immigration officials that gave them hope, they have lived in limbo now for 10 years. Because he is undocumented, he worries every day of being arrested and deported--every day--and he has nightmares every night that he will be separated from the love of his life, his American wife. This is what she wrote to me in addition to what I have recited earlier: We pay our taxes. . . . We have never caused any harm to anyone or been in trouble with the law. We don't stand on corners asking for money. We work very hard to make ends meet. . . . We have friends and family here that we love and [who] love us. Yet [we] still feel like [we're] not wanted here. Genaro is one of 11 million people living in America without proper documentation. Many of those 11 million are the parents, siblings, or spouses of U.S. citizens. Some of them overstayed their visas. Some crossed the border illegally. Others were brought here by their parents when they were only children. I recited 2 days ago one example in Las Vegas: a 7-month-old when she came here, carried on her father's shoulders. But regardless of how they got here or why they lack the proper documents, these 11 million people play a crucial role in our economy and a vital role in our communities. That was proven last night at 5 o'clock when the Congressional Budget Office--this nonpartisan arm we look to for direction of what things cost and do not cost here on Capitol Hill with our legislation--issued a statement yesterday that this bill that is on the floor today certainly is good for the economy. As I will say a couple times during my brief remarks here, it is going to, over the next two decades--what is left in this one and the next decade--reduce the deficit in America by almost $1 trillion. Of course, as we have said here previous to getting the report from CBO, this legislation is good for the economy and good for security. That is a good package. These 11 million people need a pathway to get right with the law. The commonsense, bipartisan reform proposal before the Senate will help them do just that. It will reduce illegal immigration by strengthening our borders, it will fix our broken legal immigration system, and it will crack down on unscrupulous employers who provide an incentive to come here illegally and take, in many instances, tremendous advantage of these people who are desperate. This measure that is now on the Senate floor provides a route to earned citizenship--earned citizenship--for 11 million people who are already here. Some have been here for a long time. The process for them is not easy. They do not go to the front of the line. They go to the back of the line. But they at least are in the line. They will have to work, pay taxes, stay out of trouble, and work on English. This legislation will also recognize that the alternative to earned citizenship; that is, deporting 11 million people, is simply not sensible. We do not have the money. We cannot do it fiscally and we cannot do it physically, and that is for sure. Detaining and deporting every unauthorized immigrant would cost more each year than the entire budget for the Department of Homeland Security. And not only is mass deportation impractical--not to mention cruel--it is the wrong approach for our economy--again, a trillion- dollar reduction in our deficit if we pass this bill, which we will here in the Senate. Immigration reform that includes a roadmap to citizenship will boost our national economy, I repeat, and increase our security. Helping 8 million immigrants who are already working--of the 11 million who are here, they are working, some, as we heard from Roxanna, in jobs that are not that great, but they are working. As she says, they are already working. They need to get right with the law. And it will mean billions of new revenue for our country. It will mean every U.S. resident pays his or her fair share. That is one reason an overwhelming majority of Americans support the legislation that is on the floor--not 51 to 49--an overwhelming number of Americans, Democrats, Independents, and Republicans. But immigration reform is not just an economic issue. It is a moral issue. This bipartisan proposal will allow immigrants to stay with those they love, with their U.S. citizen children in many instances, siblings and spouses. It will allow Genaro to stay with his American wife. This is Roxanna's final plea to me in this letter that she wrote: I pray that you would open your hearts to the millions like me. . . . All we ask is a chance [at] a pathway to citizenship and the peace of mind to live our lives as meaningful citizens of this great country. Her country, my country, our country. I urge all my Senators on this side of the aisle, as we say, and the Republican Senators to keep her wish, her prayer--a prayer and a wish she shares with 11 million human beings who are here in America today. This prayer, this wish, should be in all of our minds and in our hearts the next few days.

Mr. REID

Mr. REID. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.

Mr. REID. Mr. President, it is my understanding regular order would be my calling up Paul amendment No. 1200, as modified.

Mr. REID. I so move.

Mr. REID. I move to table the Paul amendment. I ask for the yeas and nays.