Statements on Senate Passage of Immigration Reform (unedited here)

President Obama:

Today, with a strong bipartisan vote, the United States Senate delivered for the American people, bringing us a critical step closer to fixing our broken immigration system once and for all. 

I thank Majority Leader Reid, Senator Leahy, Senator Schumer, and every member of the ‘Gang of Eight’ for their leadership, and I commend all Senators who worked across party lines to get this done.  

The bipartisan bill that passed today was a compromise.  By definition, nobody got everything they wanted.  Not Democrats.  Not Republicans.  Not me.  But the Senate bill is consistent with the key principles for commonsense reform that I – and many others – have repeatedly laid out. 

If enacted, the Senate bill would establish the most aggressive border security plan in our history.  It would offer a pathway to earned citizenship for the 11 million individuals who are in this country illegally – a pathway that includes passing a background check, learning English, paying taxes and a penalty, and then going to the back of the line behind everyone who’s playing by the rules and trying to come here legally.  It would modernize the legal immigration system so that it once again reflects our values as a nation and addresses the urgent needs of our time.  And it would provide a big boost to our recovery, by shrinking our deficits and growing our economy.

Today, the Senate did its job.  It’s now up to the House to do the same. 

As this process moves forward, I urge everyone who cares about this issue to keep a watchful eye.  Now is the time when opponents will try their hardest to pull this bipartisan effort apart so they can stop commonsense reform from becoming a reality.  We cannot let that happen.  If you’re among the clear majority of Americans who support reform – from CEOs to labor leaders, law enforcement to clergy – reach out to your Member of Congress.  Tell them to do the right thing.  Tell them to pass commonsense reform so that our businesses and workers are all playing by the same rules and everyone who’s in this country is paying their fair share in taxes. 

We have a unique opportunity to fix our broken system in a way that upholds our traditions as a nation of laws and a nation of immigrants.  We just need Congress to finish the job. 

U.S. Rep. Rosa DeLauro, D-3:

“The bipartisan Senate vote is a step forward in the fight for comprehensive immigration reform. The House Majority should follow the Senate’s lead and act expeditiously to deal with both border security and create a path to citizenship for the millions who aspire to become Americans. The country is clearly demanding action in an area where it is long overdue. The time to act is now.”

U.S. Senator Chris Murphy, D-Conn.:

Immigration reform used to be untouchable in Congress. But today, we can celebrate how far we’ve come with bipartisan passage of comprehensive immigration reform in the Senate. Our current immigration system hurts businesses across Connecticut, hinders law enforcement, and tears families apart. Robust immigration has made America the proud, multicultural country it is today, and with the right reforms, immigration will continue to be a defining strength of our great nation. I came to the Senate to help make this place work again, and today was a day that showed the Senate can still be a venue for Republicans and Democrats to unite around tough solutions to tough problems. I can only hope that the House of Representatives will realize that they need to step up as well and take action that mirrors this bipartisan bill.

U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn.:

“Today’s overwhelming bipartisan vote moves us closer to giving millions of people in Connecticut and across the country the opportunity to step out of the shadows and pursue the American Dream "

 

 

Gov. Dannel P. Malloy:

 “Today, the United States Senate acted upon President Obama’s call for this Congress to finally fix our broken immigration system and pass a bipartisan, commonsense immigration reform bill.  If enacted, this legislation will strengthen our borders, create a pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants, stimulate our economy, and create jobs.

“I commend Senators Blumenthal and Murphy and all their colleagues in the Senate who worked so hard to craft a compromise bill that is tough and yet reaffirms our heritage as a nation of immigrants.  I also commend my fellow governors who worked in support of this effort, particularly to include in the bill a dramatic increase in STEM education funds to states to help us as we work to grow a domestic labor force of high-skilled workers.”

In a release Wednesday, the office of Gov. Dannel Malloy confirmed that he signed a number of bills, including this one:

Immigrant Detainer Act 6 2013PA 00155 R00HB 06659 PA by Helen Bennett

Responses to the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to strike down the Defense of Marriage Act:

 

U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn.: 

“Today’s Supreme Court ruling is a huge and historic victory for freedom and equality, most especially for marriage equality. Standing on the steps of the Supreme Court today as the decision came down, I was proud and overjoyed to be an American and to represent a state that helped lead the way. Connecticut law guaranteeing marriage equality will now be accorded full respect under federal law – and so will married couples regardless of who they are or whom they love. I thank all in Connecticut and the country who have stayed true to this cause, and I pledge to continue the fight so all Americans in all states have marriage equality.”   

U.S. Rep. Rosa DeLauro, D-3:
 
“Today is a victory for equality. Barring LGBT Americans from marriage violates the values we hold dear—justice, freedom and equality. It makes no difference who someone loves, and denying them the same rights as heterosexual couples is just plain wrong. Today’s decisions will make us a fairer and better nation.”

U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn.:

"It has often been said that the arc of moral history bends only toward justice, and today, the Supreme Court proved this axiom to be true. The right to marry the person you love should not be denied to anyone based on their sexual orientation, because in the end, all that should matter is the love you have for the person standing on altar beside you. I have been part of this movement from the very beginning of my public service, signing up as one of the original ten cosponsors of Connecticut's civil union legislation. Today, I get shivers looking at how far this nation has come in under two decades. The majority of Americans now support marriage equality, and most members of the Senate, on both sides of the aisle, have pledged their support as well. I’m thrilled that the Supreme Court today ruled in favor of common sense and equality, allowing same-sex couples to take advantage of federal benefits that should have been theirs all along. Plain and simple, this is a day that makes me proud to be in public service."

U.S. Rep. Elizabeth Esty, D-5:

“This is a momentous and historic day for all Americans. Today, the Supreme Court has made decisions that strengthen families and that live up to our shared values of equality and freedom,” Esty said. “DOMA denied gay and lesbian couples full equality under the law, and I applaud the Court for correcting this constitutional and moral injustice.

“This is personal for many American families, including my own. My brother had the courage to come out in 1979, when equality was still a distant dream. A few years ago, I was thrilled that my brother and his long-time partner were able to publicly commit themselves in marriage – something they had been denied the right to do for many years. Although there is still much work to do in the cause of equality and strengthening all families, I join families across the country in celebrating today’s ruling and looking forward towards a more inclusive, more equal future.”