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Congressional efforts to advance Afghan Special Immigrant Visa reforms were stalled by Senator Rand Paul (R-Ky. from C-SPAN.org
SENATOR FROM KENTUCKY. MR. PAUL: RESERVING THE RIGHT TO OBJECT. IN THE FIRST TWO DECADES AFTER THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR, AMERICA WAS UNDER SIEGE. OUR CAPITOL WAS RANSACKED BUT I DON'T RECALL IN READING HISTORY THAT ANY OF OUR FOUNDING FATHERS SAID THEY WOULD FLEE THE COUNTRY OR LEAVE AND GIVE UP ON THE QUEST FOR LIBERTY. THE QUEST FOR LIBERTY REQUIRES FIGHTING BY THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN GIVEN THEIR LIQUIDITY, THE PEOPLE WHO -- THEIR LIBERTY, THE PEOPLE WHO WE HAVE HELPED TO GET THEIR LIBERTY. YOU CAN SAY THE PEOPLE IN AFGHANISTAN HELPED US BUT YOU CAN ALSO SAY WE HELPED LIBERATE THEM AS WELL. THEY'VE BEEN FREE FOR 20 YEARS. IT SEEMS LIKE IT MIGHT PRECIPITATE THE OVERCOMING OF THE TALIBAN IF YOU TAKE 18,000 OF THE MOST WESTERNIZED, THOSE WHO SPEAK ENGLISH AND YOU SAY FLEE, FLEE, FLEE, THE END IS COMING. GUESS WHAT, THE END COMES QUICKER IF THEY ALL LEAVE. SO I WOULD ENCOURAGE THEM RATHER TO STAY AND FIGHT. I THINK IT WOULD BE GOOD TO HAVE MANY ENGLISH SPEAKERS IN AFGHANISTAN. THE FUTURE OF AN BEGAN STAN COULD BE A BRIGHT -- AFGHANISTAN COULD BE A BRIGHT FUTURE BUT THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE TO FIGHT FOR IT AND ULTIMATELY IT'S THEIR FIGHT. IF WE OFFER EASY ESCAPE AND PLANS TO LEAVE THE COUNTRY, WE'RE ENSURING THE DEFEAT OF THE PEOPLE WHO ARE OUR FRIENDS IN AFGHANISTAN. SO I OBJECT TO THIS PIECE