{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://web.archive.org/web/20140222015941/http://johnlewis.house.gov/press-release/rep-john-lewis-leads-push-toward-comprehensive-immigration-reform", "Rep. John Lewis Leads Push Toward Comprehensive Immigration Reform", "2013-12-12", "2013", "2013-12", "Democrat", "House", "GA", "John Lewis", "L000287", "web.archive.org", null, null, "legacy", "In recent meetings of the House Democrats, Rep. John Lewis encouraged members of his caucus to send \u201cthe strongest possible message\u201d to the Speaker of the House, the Republican House leadership, and the American people that there are members of Congress who want to take action to pass comprehensive immigration reform in this Congress.\nThe Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi pulled the entire caucus together to join with the Fast 4 Families protest, a coalition of groups fasting for immigration reform in tents near the U.S. Capitol.\u00a0 Members who fasted and those who are supportive of reform participated in a news conference with some of the 1200 Fast 4 Families lobbyists today. Some members marched to the Fast 4 Families tent after the news conference hand-in-hand with protest leaders and clergy.\u00a0\u00a0 This is Rep. Lewis \u00a0statement \u00a0made at the news conference as written:\n\u00a0\nThank you, Leader Pelosi, for organizing this effort to send the strongest possible message to the leadership of the House of Representatives. There are members of this body who want to make a difference in the lives of immigrants in this country.\nThere are young children in America who live in constant fear.\u00a0 They are afraid to go to school, afraid someone will point them out.\u00a0 They are afraid their mothers and fathers will be deported. We don\u2019t want to go home and start this holiday season of love, forgiveness and compassion and turn our backs on those who live in fear in America.\u00a0\nThe Senate has already passed comprehensive immigration reform.\u00a0 The House has a companion bill, H.R. 15, with over 190 bi-partisan co-sponsors.\u00a0 If the Speaker would bring that bill to the floor, we could begin the process of immigration reform in America tomorrow. \u00a0\nMr. Speaker, millions of lives are hanging in the balance as this Congress leaves for a break.\u00a0 How can we turn our backs on the families who must hide in the shadows of this country?\u00a0\u00a0 They help advance our economy and add to the richness of our culture.\u00a0 We are joining with Fasting 4 Families today to say we want to confront the challenges of immigration, including the issues around citizenship and border security. \u00a0\u00a0\nWe want to put these issues on the table and begin the process of reforming our law to end the humanitarian crisis our current policy creates.\u00a0\u00a0\nWe still have time to bring H.R. 15 to the floor for a vote.\u00a0 Mr. Speaker, as a nation and as a compassionate people, we can do better.\u00a0 It has been said maybe our foremothers and forefathers all came here in different ships, but we\u2019re all in the same boat now.\u00a0 We\u2019re all one people, one family, the human family.\u00a0 \n\u00a0Let\u2019s do what the American people sent us here to do.\u00a0 Let\u2019s us work together and lead this nation.\u00a0 Let\u2019s find reasonable and humane solutions to human problems.\u00a0 Let\u2019s pass comprehensive immigration reform today, in this Congress.\u00a0 Thank you.\n\u00a0\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 ###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://web.archive.org/web/20140222015941/http://johnlewis.house.gov/press-release/rep-john-lewis-leads-push-toward-comprehensive-immigration-reform"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.7739241011440754, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}