Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) praised the Senate “Gang of 8” for producing a “very strong bill” on immigration. He pledged to “do everything in my power” to pass their legislation.
The full statement:
“I applaud my eight colleagues – four Democrats and four Republicans – for producing a commonsense plan to reform our broken immigration system. These senators set partisanship aside to tackle a crucial issue facing our nation. This bill is a compromise. It is not the bill Democrats or Republicans would have drafted on their own. That is the nature of compromise. But it is a very strong bill that will continue to secure the borders, improve our dysfunctional legal immigration system and require 11 million people who are undocumented to register with the government, pay fines and taxes, learn English and get in the back of the line to obtain legal status.
“The next step is for the Senate Judiciary Committee to hold hearings and mark up this bill. I am committed to facilitating a process that allows ample time for debate and consideration. At the same time, this issue is tearing apart families every single day, and the Senate must address it in a timely manner. I look forward to a thoughtful and robust debate once it reaches the Senate floor.
“As a nation of immigrants, fixing our immigration system is not a Democratic or a Republican issue, it is an American issue. For me, it is a personal issue. I will do everything in my power to get this legislation across the finish line.”
