WASHINGTON D.C. – Sen. John Kerry said that the Senate had missed a tremendous opportunity today by failing to enact bi-partisan immigration reform, and promised to work hard with his colleagues to revisit immigration issues later this year.

“This vote didn’t live up to the ideals of the United States of America. This vote broke faith with immigrants who have volunteered to risk their lives on the battlefields of Iraq and Afghanistan,” Kerry said.

“This was a victory for fear mongering and obstruction over a bipartisan commitment to fix our broken immigration system. But the fight continues. The urgency doesn’t go away. I especially want to thank my colleague, Ted Kennedy, who poured so much energy into this fight. The Senate can only stick its head in the sand for so long before common sense and compassion prevails.”