more like experts when we quote his research three-time representing the office of congresswoman zoe lofgren. i was told to talk a little bit about our personal connection to immigration. i think that's easy for me. i'm the only person in my family born in the united states. my family is from mexico did my grandfather was recruited to work here in the united states during world war ii. my father emigrated here. i sister and my mother emigrated in 1967. we have very different experiences for all three of those members of my family. in my entire professional life, i was looking back. i've always been around immigration law. i am proud that it has been so. someone asked me if i ever regretted been so focused on that. i said i did not do it on purpose. somebody just told me once to do what you love and everything will work out. i'm pleased to say that it has. we were told to give our perspective a little bit. it's hard not to speak personally about comprehensive immigration reform and what it means. i had the privilege to work on some of the most meaningful cases to me. i know it's the one place

like to recognize judiciary committee chairman, john conyers, judiciary subcommittee chairwoman zoe lofgren in moving this bill to the floor today. i ask unanimous consent that the report prepared by u.s. immigration and customs enforcement on the beneficiary of this bill be entered into the record. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. ms. chu: i urge my colleagues to support this important legislation, and i reserve the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from texas. mr. poe: madam speaker, i yield myself such time as i may consume. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. poe: madam speaker, i'm pleased to support this legislation. shigeru yamada was born in japan in 1992. when shigeru was 10 years old, his mother brought him to the united states as a dependent on her student visa. in 1995 when shigeru was 13 years old, his mother was killed in a car accident. at the time of her death, shigeru's mother was engaged to be married to an american citizen. if his mother had survived and in fact married the u.s. citizen shigeru would have obtained

conyers: and now i turn to the distinguished the gentlelady from california, zoe lofgren, who has worked for years on this legislation, a senior member of the judiciary committee, i yield her 1 1/2 minutes. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman from california is recognized for 1 1/2 minutes. ms. lofgren: thank you, mr. speaker. the immigration subcommittee which i chair held 17 hearings in 2007 to examine every aspect of immigration reform and one of the most memorable in the series of hearings was the hearing on the plight of undocumented young people who have been brought to the united states as children, including cam tren who tragically later lost her life in an auto accident. they grew up in the united states, attended american high schools, often knowing no other country as home, no language other than english, yet they were faced with the dead end once they graduated from high school. their immigration status prevented them from working, paying taxes, serving in the military. they could never get right with the law, even though they had done nothing wrong, the only thing they

chairwoman zoe lofgren. also on the judiciary committee. certainly congresswoman nydia velazquez, chair of the hispanic caucus. and luis gutierrez. congresswoman lucille roybal-allard. the entire hispanic caucus. it is not defined just to the hispanic caucus. as representative clarke said, it's about people from all over the world. when steny hoyer said when the prime minister of ireland spoke. we came here and they always talk about immigration. they always talk about this issue. this is one piece of it. i know the gentleman said it couldn't be for this because it doesn't have a motion to recommit. this isn't about a motion to recommit. this is about a commitment to our future. this is about a recognition of what these young people can mean for our country. and so i hope that that recognition will result in a very positive vote, and i hope bipartisan vote in support of making the future better for the next generation which is the strength of our great country. thank you, all, and please vote aye on the legislation. the speaker pro tempore:

waters: members also indicated they believe that our colleagues who led the ethics committee, zoe lofgren and jo bonner, fundamentally share our commitment to justice and fairness despite the circumstances which have led us here today. this is a view that i share as well. although the committee is built on secrecy and confidentiality, it should have the ability to be flexible and provide transparency in extraordinary circumstances. this is one such extraordinary circumstance when the house as a whole and the public need the committee to review information so we can have confidence in the process. those who know me know i am aggressive by nature and philosophy. i believe that it is important that we be relentless about our constant search for truth and justice. but here upon the advice of my colleagues whom i trust and admire, i'm not pushing for a vote on this resolution today. i'm -- in doing so, however, i'm requesting that the committee set the record straight on its own accord, in a bipartisan manner with the joint statement signed by the chair and ranking member as provided by its ru

judiciary committee starting with the ranking member, lamar smith, the immigration subcommittee chair, zoe lofgren, and of course judge poe who is leading the measure on the other side. with that, i'll reserve my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman reserves the balance of his time. the gentleman from texas, mr. poe, is recognized. mr. poe: i yield myself such time as i may consume. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. mr. poe: i strongly support h.r. 5283. madam speaker earlier this year, haiti was hit by a massive earthquake and hundreds of thousands of people died. in reaction, the department of homeland security announced a humanitarian parole policy under which orphaned haitian children who were in the middle of an adoption process with american would be immediately brought to the united states. under this policy, about 1,200 haitian children, orphans, came to the united states. since adoption proceedings were not yet completed then these children were brought to this country, they will have to live with their adoptive parents for two years before being eligible for permanent r