The Official Truth Squad

THE OFFICIAL TRUTH SQUAD -- (House of Representatives - March 28, 2006)

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Mrs. BLACKBURN. I thank the gentleman from Georgia for his leadership on this issue and for his leadership in continuing to bring the Truth Squad to the floor every evening, so we can talk about the issues that affect our constituents and the American people.

Mr. Speaker, we have as a party and as a conference been talking about the security agenda for many months now, looking at energy security, moral security, retirement security, economic security for this great Nation. A big part of this security agenda is our national security and we continue to address this issue. We talk about the war on terror. We talk about protecting our Nation, and that is where the border security component comes in.

In December, we passed a border security bill to address so many of these issues that are before us. And, of course, as typically happens and many times happens here, those of us in the House roll up our sleeves and get to work and we pass a bill. It crosses the Rotunda to the other side, to the other body, and maybe it languishes or does not move quite as quickly. But the Members of the House have taken action on this issue.

It is indeed one that deserves our attention, and as we talk about border security, there is one component that I would like to highlight this evening, just one component as we talk about border security and the importance of keeping this border secure.

When we talk about illegal immigration and illegal immigrants, I think it is imperative that we turn the focus to illegal entry. That is the action that an individual outside this country is choosing to commit--the act of illegally entering our country, and we need to keep our focus on that: Why would they choose to enter illegally? Why would they choose to circumvent our laws? Why would an individual choose to circumvent the rules? Why would they choose illegal entry?

Mr. Speaker, I think that you and I would probably agree that we are going to work diligently to protect our homes from illegal entry, and I am going to work just as hard to protect this country from illegal entry as I am going to work to protect my home from illegal entry.

I think it is important that we realize that individuals who decide they are going to illegally enter somewhere maybe come with a different agenda, but we have to recognize that they do not come as an invited guest.

We have rules in place that individuals are supposed to follow, and those individuals that follow those rules are then invited and brought into the process of being able to seek citizenship, of working to attain that citizenship, to being able to be a part of the bounty and the richness that this country offers.

We are a Nation of immigrants, but we are a Nation of laws, and it is important that we continue to recognize that, as we look at the debate, that we realize that entering this country illegally, that action is something that circumvents our laws.

I thank the gentleman from Georgia for his leadership on the issue. I thank you for including me and allowing me to come to the floor and be a part of the Official Truth Squad and continue to put the focus on the issues that are important to my district in Tennessee and important to so many of our constituents.

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