Thread: CHLI ALTRIA CONGRESSIONAL BRIEFING UNITES

Check out this organization. (The Hispanic Congressional aides have a softball team they call the Chli Dogs). This organization is very strong at supporting Hispanic Interns in the Congressional and Senate offices. Check out the programs and the members.

http://www.chli.org/congbriefingmay18.pdf

-PRESS RELEASE –
For Immediate Release Contact:
May 18, 2006 Mercy Viana-Schlapp
(202) 429-2033
CHLI ALTRIA CONGRESSIONAL BRIEFING UNITES
VOICES ON IMMIGRATION
WASHINGTON, DC – The Congressional Hispanic Leadership Institute (CHLI) hosted its first Congressional
briefing this morning at the U.S. Capitol, on the important issue of immigration reform. CHLI Chairman
Congressman Lincoln Diaz-Balart outlined the work being performed to formulate a comprehensive immigration
reform package, and introduced Senator John McCain (AZ), Senator Hillary Clinton (NY) and Senator Mel
Martinez (FL). Each Senator called for swift passage of comprehensive reform legislation in the Senate.
• “These are defining moments in American history,” said Senator John McCain, “I am very optimistic of
getting comprehensive immigration legislation reform passed in the Senate.”
• “In the Senate, we have a bipartisan coalition in support of comprehensive immigration reform,” said
Senator Hillary Clinton.
• “The time to implement comprehensive reform is now. The President laid out a solid plan earlier this
week,” said Senator Mel Martinez.
• “Addressing only a portion of the issue will not solve the immigration problem,” said Congressman
Lincoln Diaz-Balart.
The panelists discussed the impact that the immigration debate is having on the media, businesses and the Hispanic
community.
• “We applaud the Senate for showing a new way of leadership,” said Frank Sharry, Executive Director of
National Immigration Forum, “To decrease illegal immigration, you need to increase legal immigration.”
• “We (the Spanish media) are positively impacting the immigration debate by providing a bipartisan
perspective on a very complex issue,” said Augie Martinez, VP East Coast Strategy for Telemundo.
• “The best homeland security is economic security,” said Eddie Aldrete from Alliance for Security and
Trade.
• “The issues that we need to discuss go beyond the issue of immigration,” said Allert Brown Gort of the
Institute for Latino Studies at University of Notre Dame.
• "Senate Majority Leader, Dr. Bill Frist has shown incredible courage in moving a comprehensive solution
to border security and immigration reform forward in the U.S. Senate,” said Noe Garcia, Policy Advisor to
Senator Bill Frist, “This issue is an American issue, a national security issue, an economic security issue,
and a humanitarian issue. We are working hard to pass a bill that achieves all of those things."
Congressman Diaz-Balart emphasized the importance of hosting these Congressional briefings as a way to discuss
potential solutions to complex problems that affect millions of Hispanics.
For more information on CHLI’s programs and upcoming events, please visit the website at: www.chli.org

These are defining moments in American history,” said Senator John McCain, “I am very optimistic of
getting comprehensive immigration legislation reform passed in the Senate.”

Well look at that, something I can agree with McCain about, although not the way he means