Press Conference with Republican Senators on Border Security
Interview
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SEN. MEL MARTINEZ (R-FL): Well, I was one of those that thought that we could do comprehensive immigration reform and do it all at once. The fact is we couldn't. It didn't work. It didn't happen. And why didn't it? Because people did not have the confidence that this government was either committed or competent to secure the border.
The fact is that we've got to get that right.
This is the money that's necessary to get that right, to secure the border so we can move on to do other aspects of immigration reform that this country desperately needs to do. But it begins with border security, and I would add also interior enforcement.
Just as important as border security is the money in this bill for interior enforcement, which has to do with providing the kinds of secure ID so that employers can be then held to task for who they hire. And so we are moving towards a legal workforce if we get this money to then have a secure ID that employees must show and a system to allow employers to verify the status of those that they seek to employ.
Between the border security and the interior enforcement, those two elements have got to be corrected, have got to get -- we have to get them right, in order to give the confidence to the American people that we can move forward to do the other aspects of immigration reform that I think are so needed and so important.
So Lindsey, thank you. And I look forward to finding a way to put this money back, because it's needed. We've got to get it done so we can get our border right before we do the rest of the immigration reform.
SEN. SESSIONS: Thank you.
And I would just have to agree with Mel on the question that the American people do not have confidence in us, and that's the real reason we had so much difficulty this summer. And what happened with this legislation is exactly why they have no confidence in us. Ninety-four to one we vote on roll-call vote to fund monies necessary for the fence, for Border Patrol agents and that sort of thing. Then it goes to conference behind closed doors, where nobody's watching. Out comes the bill and zero provided for it.
We also voted -- at least my amendment was accepted -- that would have funded the National Guard for an extended period of time, more than currently expected. That was cut by at least two-thirds, and perhaps maybe more than that, the way we're trying to calculate it.
And I remember earlier in the year I offered an amendment to the minimum-wage bill that said that if a federal government contractor utilized illegals knowingly to do federal government work, that they would be debarred. It was accepted. And, of course, when it came to conference, it was stripped out.
So what we've got is a failure of will on the part of Congress. The American people sense that. They don't trust us. And really they shouldn't, because we haven't earned their trust.
SEN. CHAMBLISS: The vote on Lindsey's amendment was 94-1. In Georgia, 94-1 is pretty overwhelming. I think the American people spoke loud and clear through their members of the Senate on that particular amendment. And for the Democrats to now strip this provision out, I think, shows where they're coming from when it comes to truly enforcing border security and truly making an effort to stop illegal immigrants from coming across that border. And it's unfortunate that not just illegal immigrants who are coming here to seek work, but also illegal immigrants who are terrorists are now going to be given a better opportunity to come across that border.
I look forward to working with these folks to make sure that we figure out some way to get this restored and give the American people the confidence that they deserve that we truly mean it when we say we're going to enforce the border.
SEN. GRAHAM: Yeah, we're not on the fence about the fence, I guess, is the message here.
Q Are you guys really serious that after all the ways you've packaged legislation over the last 12 years that the simple fact that the Democrats want to get the Homeland Security bill signed by having the fence there is really that outrageous?
SEN. GRAHAM: I think it's outrageous for the Congress to miss an opportunity to restore confidence with the public on an issue that matters to every American.
Q Do you have any doubt that this money is going to be in the Homeland Security bill?
SEN. GRAHAM: I've got a lot of doubt now. I didn't before. But I have a lot of doubt that what Jeff is saying is right. I think all of us do. It's just not the money for the border. It's other policy provisions that we're taking out.
This is a coming together of bad policy and bad politics. To remove this money at this time in our nation's history speaks volumes, and it sends all the wrong messages to the American people. We should act together, first available opportunity, to secure our border. This is the first available opportunity, and they punted.
I'll let Jon finish that.
SEN. KYL: Let me make a point. The Democrats are playing chicken with President Bush on a matter of national security, and that's wrong. In order to force him to accept an additional $4 billion in spending one year over his budget, they combine it in that bill with this $3 billion and then, in effect, blackmail him or threaten him or challenge him to either veto the bill and be against all these things or accept the additional spending. Now, that's the kind of partisan politicking that should stop around here.
Q You support -- (inaudible) -- Bush --
SEN. KYL: President Bush.
SEN. MARTINEZ: You mean the president.
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