Press Releases

As of this afternoon, senators have received only a set of talking points promoting the new immigration proposal. Once it has been released, I strongly encourage my colleagues to read the bill and then decide for themselves whether this reform will accomplish what proponents are promising. It is unfortunate that we have so little time to digest and evaluate such an expansive piece of legislation before we hold our initial committee hearing. As senators, it is our duty to read the bill and fully understand the impact it will have on our immigration system before casting votes.

This morning the Senate will vote on the motion to proceed to the firearms bill (S.649). It is expected that the Toomey-Manchin provision announced yesterday will replace the current language regarding background checks.

A single hearing scheduled so quickly to discuss legislative language that is not yet even available is completely inadequate for Senators or the American people to get answers to the many questions a bill of this magnitude will inevitably raise. We could not possibly have a meaningful hearing with a substantive discussion of what will surely be over 1,000 pages of provisions we haven't even yet seen.

For several weeks now, Washington and the rest of the country have been debating several new gun control proposals. Along with a number of my colleagues, including the Minority Leader, I have declared my intention to resist an immediate vote on any new restrictions that would serve primarily to limit the freedoms of law-abiding citizens rather than reduce violent crime.