WASHINGTON, DC - After President Obama spoke this morning about the importance of passing commonsense immigration reform, Rocio Saenz, International Executive Vice President of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), issued the following statement:

We are very encouraged and inspired by the President's remarks today in which he outlined the many reasons why Congress should pass commonsense immigration reform with a pathway to citizenship this year. Immigration reform is good for our economy, good for our national security and is simply the right thing to do.

"Importantly, President Obama said that Congress has time to get it done. Now it is up to House Republican leadership to move a bill to the floor for a vote. More and more Republican House members are coming out in favor of immigration reform with a pathway to citizenship. If Speaker Boehner were to bring a bill to the floor with that provision, it would pass.

"President Obama also made clear that fixing our broken immigration system is not a problem we can sweep under the rug one more time. That is why there is no excuse for more delays. The time for action is now and we call on Speaker Boehner to bring a comprehensive bill to the floor for a vote."

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