Democratic Quotes on Border Security and Immigration ''If they want to have a dog-and-pony show, that's fine, They have really ugly dogs and really mangy ponies.'' Calif. GOP Launching Immigration Hearings, New York Times, July 4, 2006 "The hearings are an all-out effort by House Republican leadership to divert attention from their awful record," "It's a shame that these field hearings have been swallowed up by the House Republican leadership's national political agenda." Battling over border, The Hill, July 5, 2006 Rep. Luis Gutierrez (IL-04) "You listen to your radio, you read it in your newspaper, you see the debate on TV and you can't get away from it. But I do also think there is a great degree of anger spurring this." Becoming American takes on new urgency, Chicago Tribune, July 5, 2006 "It just shows that Republicans are using every committee and every subcommittee to have as many irrelevant hearings as possible" "People will see that Republicans have been in charge of the government for six years and we have a failed policy on the ground" Congress' Immigration Fight Hits the Road, Los Angeles Times, July 5, 2006 Sen. Charles E. Schumer (D-NY)
"If congressional Republicans want to make immigration the centerpiece of their 2006 campaign, I've got three words for them: Make our day," "The GOP Congress has had 12 years to tackle this problem but has instead taken a 'See no evil, hear no evil' approach to the Bush White House's failure to enforce immigration laws." Congress' Immigration Fight Hits the Road, Los Angeles Times, July 5, 2006 "Our subcommittee focuses on terrorism and I doubt there are many terrorists at Home Depot" Dueling Hearings Illustrate Tough Task Ahead on Immigration Legislation, CQ Today, July 5, 2006 "These hearings are not designed to legislate," "They're designed to whip up public opinion. The hearings that our subcommittee (are) having here today have been swallowed up by this political agenda." House panel's tour in border-control debate begins in Imperial Beach, San Diego Tribune, July 6, 2006 "You don't need to go to Laredo to know that there are millions of people illegally crossing our borders every year" Immigration Hearings Brought to Border, Washington Post, July 7, 2006 Sen. Edward Kennedy (D-Mass) ''It is an insult to their dedication to our defense,'' Pace Talks About Immigrants in Military, New York Times, July 10, 2006
Sen. Edward Kennedy (D-Mass) ''Clearly, the House hearings are more about politics than about serious immigration reform,'' GOP Schedules More Immigration Hearings, New York Times, July 12, 2006 Rep. Silvestre Reyes (TX-16) "a waste of time" At Hearing on Immigration, Not All Is as Planned, New York Times, July 19, 2006 "Although IRCA had legalization programs and new enforcement measures, it did not address all of the essential issues," she said. "For instance, it failed to provide enough legal visas to meet future immigration needs." "It was derived from the Latin word 'amnesti,' which means amnesia," she said after giving the definition. " S.2611 does not have any provisions that would forget or overlook immigration law violations." Senate immigration bill 'far worse' than in '86, Washington Times, July 19, 2006 Rep. Silvestre Reyes (TX-16) "Talk is cheap," he said. "What border residents want and what Americans want when it comes to border security and immigration reform is action." Senate immigration bill 'far worse' than in '86, Washington Times, July 19, 2006 Rep. Zoe Lofgren (CA-16) ''The GOP has become the Gab Only Party'' ''This is just a bunch of gas''
Immigration Hearings Draw Complaints, New York Times, July 19, 2006 Rep. Howard L. Berman (CA-28) "I don't buy the notion that this is a serious effort to come to grips with what's in the Senate bill" "The hearings are a con job on the American people." New Round of Immigration Hearings Kicks Off With Partisan Accusations, CQ Today, July 19, 2006 Rep. Howard L. Berman (CA-28) "This is simply a well-orchestrated effort to have this Congress recess before the election without having dealt with one of the country's most serious national crises" House heats up over immigration, Dallas Morning News, July 19, 2006 Rep. Silvestre Reyes (TX-16) "I can't tell you how frustrating it is for me to see us again talking and talking, and back and forth and back and forth politically and with great partisanship, when we're in danger because we haven't done the things that we have promised to do in securing our border" House heats up over immigration, Dallas Morning News, July 19, 2006 Rep. Silvestre Reyes (TX-16) ''There are, in my opinion, no one-size-fits-all solutions for border security,'' ''I think it wastes money. I think it's not a good investment of taxpayer dollars.'' Longer Fence on Mexican Border Debated, New York Times, July 20, 2006
Rep. Elijah E. Cummings (MD-07) ''Can you look the American people in the eye and say this is needed? And that it's the most practical use of taxpayer dollars?'' Longer Fence on Mexican Border Debated, New York Times, July 20, 2006 Rep. Elijah E. Cummings (MD-07) "Individuals who attempt to cross the border are determined," "Those who are not deterred will become increasingly dependent upon profit-minded coyotes and criminal traffickers in order to cross the border in remote areas." Border fence cited as deterrent to crime, Washington Times, July 21, 2006 "We have no amnesia in the Senate bill" Republican Dispute on Immigration Bill Encompasses Even Its Name, New York Times, July 23, 2006 Sen. Joe Lieberman (D-Conn.) weak leadership, has left our border protection agents poorly armed to stop terrorist infiltration'' Inspector Says Terror Watch List Too Vague, New York Times, July 24, 2006 Rep. C. Lynn Woolsey (CA-06) This is silly, what we are doing today. More Hearings, More Stalling, Say Democrats, LA Times, July 31, 2006
Rep. John Tierney (MA-06) "We're not going to vote on the House bill again. The Senate is not going to vote on a Senate bill again. It's time to grow up and negotiate." Employers want faster verification system for workers, Associated Press, August 1, 2006 Rep. Howard L. Berman (CA-28) "We should be back in Washington right now getting to work. Instead, the Republican majority is flying around the country in a taxpayer-funded traveling press conference," Costs of Illegal Immigrants Called 'Catastrophic', Los Angeles Times, August 3, 2006 "The Republicans control the Senate, the House and the White House, but it is due to their infighting that we're here today." Hearing sparks debate, San Diego Tribune, August 3, 2006 Rep. Howard L. Berman (CA-28) accused the Republican-led Congress of "total failure to address illegal immigration effectively." Hearing sparks debate, San Diego Tribune, August 3, 2006 Rep. Raul Grijalva (AZ-07) "This hearing is not about voter fraud," Grijalva said. "The real objective is pretty transparent to me the leadership of this Congress wants to maintain its majority." Officials argue over whether stronger ID requirements needed, Associated Press, August 4, 2006
Rep. Bart Gordon (TN-06) "We have a limited amount of funds available for health care, and we just can't afford to divert funds to care for illegal aliens when we have so many taxpaying Middle Tennesseans who need care for their families." Immigrant-focused hearings called political ploy; Blackburn invites input on health-care cost, Nashville Tennessean, August 10, 2006 Rep. Betty McCollum (MN-04) "Republicans control the White House, the U.S. Senate and the U.S. House." "But they refuse to fix a broken system." Deal, Norwood want to tighten Mexican border, Gainesville Times, August 15, 2006 Rep. Betty McCollum (MN-04) "We can come back after the elections, but I think it was a totally missed opportunity." "We should be in a conference committee." Norwood blasts bill provisions, Augusta Chronicle, August 15, 2006 "We need leadership, not rhetoric on this issue." Officials testify of crisis at the border, Ft. Worth Star-Telegram, August 17, 2006 Rep. Rush Holt (NJ-12) "We have fallen short. We've allowed our immigration system to deteriorate." Border is Topic No. 1 in S. Ariz.: Hearing in Sierra Vista; Tucson advocacy session, Arizona Daily Star, August 18, 2006
Rep. Raul Grijalva (AZ-07) "It is no secret that those hearings are more of a political road show." Border is Topic No. 1 in S. Ariz.: Hearing in Sierra Vista; Tucson advocacy session, Arizona Daily Star, August 18, 2006 Rep. Martin Meehan (MA-05) "I think it's a taxpayer-funded road show to try to play politics with the midterm elections." This marathon of doing nothing mocks voters who want action on immigration reform this year." Local groups speak out against congressional immigration hearing, Associated Press, August 23, 2006 Rep. Martin Meehan (MA-05) "House Republicans are staging theatrical hearings instead of rolling up their sleeves and sitting down with the Senate to work on a compromise." "How do we magically round up that many people? How many planes would it take?" Immigration bill hearing set for New Hampshire, Boston Globe, August 24, 2006 Rep. Martin Meehan (MA-05) "House Republicans have changed a serious debate on immigration into a partisan game by holding public hearings around the country that are biased in both their design and intention." "These hearings serve no purpose beyond vilifying hardworking immigrants." Congress comes to N.H. Statehouse for immigration hearing, Associated Press, August 25, 2006
"I have seen no evidence that the Republican leadership wants this to be resolved anytime soon." "That is not what they are interested in achieving with this roadshow." Elections impede border changes, The Des Moines Register, September 2, 2006