OFFICIALS LEGISLATION INTEREST GROUPS PUBLIC STATEMENTS COMMITTEES VETOES

Unanimous Consent Request

Floor Speech

Date: Aug. 5, 2020
Location: Washington, DC
Issues: Immigration

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Mr. SCOTT of Florida. Mr. President, in reserving the right to object, I fully appreciate the hard work my colleagues have put into this measure. Florida is an immigration State, and we value our diversity.

We also need to fix our immigration system so it makes sense. That starts with securing our border. I have heard from many of my constituents about this bill because it impacts so many people in my State, including those who came to Florida from Latin America. We also have to help those who are escaping Communist China's crackdown on freedoms in Taiwan and Hong Kong.

I offer an amendment today to make sure we are not creating an unfair system that favors certain nations or that would disadvantage immigrants who don't happen to be from the nations that are the largest drivers of the employment-based visa backlog that we see today. I know my colleagues share my desire to preserve the diversity of our Nation, and I look forward to their accepting my amendment today.

Therefore, I ask that the Senator from Utah modify his request, include my amendment to the Lee amendment at the desk; that the amendment be considered and agreed to; that the Lee amendment, as amended, be agreed to; that the bill, as amended, be considered read a third time and passed; and that the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table.

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Mr. SCOTT of Florida. Mr. President, in reserving the right to object, clearly, I am disappointed that my colleague is unwilling to accept my amendment.

My goal is to be fair to the many wonderful and skilled people who want to build lives in our great country. I have also spoken to those at the White House about the bill, and they have agreed we need more time to review the proposal and to understand its impacts on our immigration system.

I hope my colleagues want to continue to work together, and I hope we can find a path forward to address the current visa backlog. Therefore, I respectfully object.

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