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Rep. Pallone Co-Sponsors New Comprehensive Immigration Reform Bill

October 4, 2013

Washington, D.C - Rep. Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-06) announced that he is co-sponsoring a comprehensive immigration reform bill, the Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act, introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives this week by Democrats.

This bill is designed to receive bipartisan support in the House. It contains the provisions of the commonsense, comprehensive immigration reform bill that passed the Senate in June by the bipartisan vote of 68 to 32, with one exception. The exception is that it replaces the Corker-Hoeven border security provisions in the Senate-passed bill with the bipartisan provisions of the McCaul-Thompson border security bill that was reported by the House Homeland Security Committee by voice vote in May.

“Our immigration system is broken and in need of major repair,” Congressman Pallone said. “Back in June, the Senate acted in a bipartisan way – with a strong vote of 68 to 32 – to pass commonsense comprehensive immigration reform. Now it’s the House’s turn.”

The only way immigration reform passes in the House is if Democrats and Republicans compromise. That is why House Democrats introduced this week not the perfect immigration reform bill, but a compromise bill that should have no trouble gaining bipartisan support.

This bill:

· For securing our borders, contains the provisions of the bipartisan McCaul-Thompson border security bill that received unanimous approval from the House Homeland Security Committee.

· Contains the same provisions from the bipartisan Senate-passed bill that protect our workers, unite families, and offer hardworking immigrants an earned pathway to citizenship.

· Also contains the same provisions from the bipartisan Senate-passed bill that reform our visa programs and our interior enforcement.

According to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office, enactment of the bipartisan Senate-passed comprehensive immigration reform bill would reduce the deficit by $850 billion. CBO also estimates that the Senate-passed bill would increase economic growth by 3.3% in 2023 and 5.4% in 3033.

“It is time for the House to act and pass commonsense immigration reforms and get into a conference with the Senate,” Congressman Pallone concluded. “It is critical that we get commonsense comprehensive reform enacted into law this year. Comprehensive reform will reduce our deficit, grow our economy, reaffirm our values, advance our ideals, and honor our history as a nation of immigrants.”

Issues:Immigration