U.S. SENATORS WHO VOTED 'NO' ON S.2611, AGAINST AMNESTY ... 32 R 4 D

What follows is a listing of the Senators who voted AGAINST the S. 2611 amnesty bill. I have expanded the list to include each Senator's comments specific to the legislation, where available, and listed the link to their e-mail address or contact form.

I have now sent a message of "Thank You" and support to each one. I hope many of you will want to do the same in greater of lesser degree, perhaps contacting only your own Senator and a few others, hopefully all. I tried to make it *easy* for you.

WHY DO SO? Many of these Senators will be in 'conference' with House members and need to know they did the right thing and please continue. 'Thank You' is an affirmation to all that they did the right thing if and when similarly unacceptable legislation returns to the Senate for a vote.

Just Piper has researched and compiled similar information on members of the House Immigration Caucus, for which I hope she will create a thread also when we know who will be conferees.

U.S. Senator Lamar Alexander (R-TN)

“This bill has been greatly improved, but does not do enough to secure our borders to allow me to vote yes,” Alexander said. “I am disappointed to vote no because Congress should not end the year without taking strong steps to secure our borders, to define the legal status of foreign students and workers, and to help prospective citizens learn English and U.S. history so they can become Americans.”

“After we negotiate with the House of Representatives, I hope there will be comprehensive immigration legislation that I can support,” Alexander added.

http://alexander.senate.gov/index.cfm?FuseAction=Contact.Home

U.S. Senator Wayne Allard (R-Colorado)

“At the end of the day, the Senate’s rejection of several key amendments to the legislation over the last week made it impossible for me to vote for this bill,” Senator Allard said. “To me this issue is a matter of fairness. This legislation penalizes the more than three million people currently standing in the citizenship line who are playing by the rules, while granting amnesty to those who have not followed the rules.”

“Under this bill, illegal aliens granted amnesty would pay no fines or back taxes for eight years, if at all. They would be granted full access to our Social Security system, and they would not have to learn English,” Senator Allard said. “Immigration needs to be reformed in a way that acknowledges the contribution of immigrants to our country, while simultaneously preserving the bedrock principle upon which the country was founded: the rule of law.”

“What’s more, this legislation will have a staggering, negative fiscal impact upon our nation,” added Senator Allard. “A vote for this bill was a vote to increase federal spending and expand entitlement programs to millions of people who entered this country illegally. I could not in good conscience vote in favor of such a measure.”

“The American people and the people of Colorado are demanding better border security and better interior enforcement of our laws,” Senator Allard said. “Our wisest course would be first to secure our borders. Then we can determine what rules should govern immigration in the future.”

http://allard.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Contact.Home

U.S. Senator George Allen (R-VA)

“This is a country that has been settled, built and improved by immigrants and it will continue to be. My mother is an immigrant, so I appreciate the value of immigrants to our country. However, the reality is that this bill that we voted on today did not meet my two foundational principles: First, I believe the American people deserve borders that are secure. If we don’t secure the border, none of the reforms included in this bill will have any meaningful impact whatsoever. We need to stop the flow of illegals across our border and get it down to a trickle. Second, we should not reward illegal behavior. If the U.S. government rewards illegal behavior with amnesty, we’ll get more illegal behavior,”

http://allen.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=AboutGeorgeAllen.SendAnEmail&EmailContactForm=Type+your+e-mail&x=14&y=14

U.S. Senator Kit Bond (R-MO)

"While I support immigration through a legal framework, I could not support rewarding those who come here illegally," said Bond. "Unfortunately, this bill encourages more illegal immigration, overburdens our social services and is unfair to those who are patiently and respectfully trying to enter America legally."

Bond strongly supported efforts in the Senate to increase border security and enforcement of immigration laws and opposed attempts to reward illegal immigrants.

"The United States faces a serious problem at the border and securing it is critical to our safety and security," said Bond. "While I support immigration regulated through a legal framework, I do not support rewarding those who broke the law to get here."

Underscoring his support for legal immigration, Bond successfully strengthened language in the immigration bill to improve the student visa process by preventing U.S.-educated international science and engineering students from being forced out of the country upon graduating, a change necessary for the United States to keep its competitive edge in the global economy.

http://bond.senate.gov/contact/contactme.cfm

U.S. Senator Jim Bunning (R-KY)

“I am disappointed that the Senate today has chosen to ignore the will of the American people and pass a bill that puts amnesty for millions of illegal immigrants ahead of the security of our nation. This is the worst piece of legislation that I have seen during my 20 years in Congress and I cannot support it. It is my hope that the bill can be improved in conference so that it is closer to the version passed by the House last December in which border security is the top priority.

http://bunning.senate.gov/index.cfm?FuseAction=Contact.Email

U.S. Senator Conrad Burns (R – Mont.)

“I was pleased with many of the border security provisions in this bill, but I cannot, in good conscience, support a bill with so many provisions that provide amnesty to illegal immigrants,” said Senator Burns.

VOTED FOR preventing aliens from receiving Social Security benefits as a result of illegal work history. Senator Burns believes illegal aliens often steal social security numbers to gain employment and should not be rewarded with Social Security payments.

VOTED FOR (cosponsor) declaring English as the national language of the United States. Senator Burns has long supported efforts to make English the national language.

http://burns.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=ContactInfo.EmailMe

Senator Richard Burr (R-NC)

“I believe strengthened border security and comprehensive immigration reform are very important. As a nation, we have welcomed generations of legal immigrants over the course of our history--immigrants who respect the law and contribute a great deal to our country. The immigration reform package in the Senate addresses increased border security, but also rewards those who have broken the law by granting them a direct path to citizenship. It allows current illegal immigrants to receive the full array of federal benefits, but fails to reform our current immigration policy for those who want to come to America legally,” Burr said.

http://burr.senate.gov/index.cfm?FuseAction=Contact.Home

Senator Robert C. Byrd (D-WV)

I oppose this amnesty bill – absolutely and unequivocally. I oppose this effort to waive the rules for lawbreakers, and to legalize the unlawful actions of undocumented workers and the businesses that illegally employ them.

http://byrd.senate.gov/byrd_email.html

U.S. Senator Saxby Chambliss, R-Ga.,

“I believe this bill is a bad bill -- it puts more emphasis on amnesty than on border security. Regardless of where Georgians stand on dealing with the current illegal population, the constant refrain I hear from constituents is, ‘secure the border.’ If we do not secure the border and have serious interior and worksite enforcement, then we have accomplished nothing. The magnitude of the flow of illegal immigrants into the United States is astounding, and we must work to provide more Border Patrol agents, better infrastructure, additional checkpoints and the use of the latest technology available. …This bill is an amnesty bill -- that’s the bottom line. “

http://chambliss.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=ContactUs.ContactForm&CFID=3590862&CFTOKEN=85920860

U.S. Senator Tom Coburn, M.D. (R-OK)

“The American people have been demanding that their elected officials take action to limit illegal immigration first by securing our borders, then by addressing guest worker reform. Unfortunately, this bill reversed those priorities. Rewarding illegal immigrants with amnesty without taking adequate steps to secure our borders is the wrong way to address this problem,” Dr. Coburn said.

It is important for Congress to understand that the public will not trust us on this issue until our borders are secure. “

http://coburn.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=ContactSenatorCoburn.Home

Senator Thad Cochran (R-MS)

http://www.senate.gov/~cochran/contact.htm

U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, chairman of the Immigration and Border Security subcommittee,

Cornyn will be a member of the Senate-House panel (the conference committee) that will work out the differences between the Senate and House immigration bills.

"We've had weeks of constructive debate on very important issues for our nation, but I've come to the conclusion that the Senate immigration bill as written still has serious flaws and is not a net plus for our country. So I cannot support it.
"Throughout the process I have tried to improve the legislation in preparation for a House-Senate conference, where it will be improved even more. The net result must be marked improvement in border security, employer accountability, better assimilation of legal immigrants, and compensation for state expenses incurred from illegal immigration.”

http://cornyn.senate.gov/index.asp?f=contact&lid=1

Senator Mike Crapo (R-ID)

“…in order to maintain the strength of this country, we must uphold our laws. I have been very concerned about the amnesty provisions included in this measure and ultimately could not support the bill, even though there are some good provisions in it.

There has been a lot of talk about the need to secure our borders. It is time that the talk ends, and the work to accomplish this task begins. In order to get control of the illegal immigration situation, illegal entry into our country must be stopped. Getting our borders under control will better enable a workable guest worker program.”

http://crapo.senate.gov/contact/email.cfm#form_anchor

Senator Jim DeMint (R-S.C)

“We will never solve the problem of illegal immigration by rewarding those who break our laws,” said Senator DeMint. “We must stop illegal immigration by securing the border and creating a temporary worker program that does not reward illegal behavior with a clear path to citizenship and voting rights.”

“This bill fails to do that. Instead, it guarantees amnesty with only the promise of border security and enforcement. We tried the same formula in 1986, and it only made the problem worse. This puts those here illegally in front of those waiting to enter the right way, and that’s the wrong message for a nation of laws to send.”

http://demint.senate.gov/index.cfm?FuseAction=Contact.Home

Senator Elizabeth Dole (R-NC)

“I have maintained that securing our borders and enforcing current laws must come first – and unfortunately this bill puts amnesty first,” said Dole. “I have consistently stated that I would support a program that provides temporary worker permits to help bring people out of the shadows. But I cannot and will not support granting amnesty to those who have broken our laws and entered this nation illegally.

“In addition, this bill contains a number of provisions that just defy common sense, such as allowing illegal immigrants who fraudulently use a U.S. citizen’s Social Security number to accumulate and collect benefits from an already tight Social Security trust fund!

http://dole.senate.gov/index.cfm?FuseAction=ContactInformation.ContactForm

Senator Byron Dorgan (D-ND)

Dorgan, who tried to strike provisions out of the bill that would allow millions of addition low-wage replacement workers into our country to take American jobs, said that he believes the bill undercuts American workers and completes the corporate strategy of exporting good American jobs to China while importing cheap labor from Mexico.

“The two certain ways to shut off illegal immigration is to have effective border security on the one hand, and to have tough, effective sanctions against employers who hire illegal workers on the other hand.

“All of the discussion is about immigration with almost no discussion about what this means to American workers who are struggling with lower wages, less healthcare, and fewer pension benefits,”

Senator@dorgan.senate.gov

Senator John Ensign (R-NV)

“I have many reasons for voting against this bill but the granting of amnesty to those who have committed identity theft and the rewarding of benefits for that illegal act is the most egregious,” Ensign said. “We should not grant illegal immigrants special consideration to which legal immigrants and American citizens are not entitled.”

http://ensign.senate.gov/forms/email_form.cfm

Wyoming’s U. S. Senators Craig Thomas and Mike Enzi, both R-Wyo., voted against an immigration reform bill because it would help illegal immigrants qualify for Social Security and other benefits and contains amnesty provisions that would give them an advantage over others applying for citizenship.

“The House bill is a strong security measure and I am hopeful that when members work out the differences in the two bills, we will shed the amnesty provisions that weigh the Senate version down,” said Sen. Enzi.

“We need stronger employment verification and tougher accountability provisions. It will be rough sleddin’ as we work out the differences between the House and Senate versions, but in the end our citizens deserve a sound national policy, not another amnesty program,” said Thomas.

http://enzi.senate.gov/email.htm

http://thomas.senate.gov/index.cfm?FuseAction=Contact.Home

Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA)

Grassley expects to be a member of the conference committee that works out the differences between the House and Senate passed bills. “The House and Senate bills are so far apart that it’s difficult to foresee a compromise in the near future,” Grassley said.

“My amendments that were accepted to the bill help make this bill a little easier to swallow, but in the end anything with amnesty is a poison pill,” Grassley said. “I voted for amnesty in 1986 when we had a 1 million illegal immigrant problem. Now we have a 12 million illegal immigrant problem. Amnesty didn’t work in 1986 and I don’t think it’s going to work in 2006.”

http://grassley.senate.gov/index.cfm?FuseAction=Contact.Home

Sen. Orrin G. Hatch (R-Utah)

“…blanket amnesty doesn’t work, regardless of how it’s disguised. I’ll be a member of the negotiating team that’s going to craft a compromise bill that can pass the Senate and House, and I’ll work to find a way to secure our borders in a way the American people can accept.”

Hatch backed provisions in S. 2611 to strengthen the border, including authorizing 4,000 additional Border Patrol agents, enhancing technology, and other systematic reforms.

“I opposed amnesty 20 years ago, and I’m even more determined not to allow Congress to repeat the same mistake this time around. We shouldn’t give an edge to those who have broken the law when there are thousands of people in other countries who are playing by the rules and have been waiting in line to come into the United States.”

http://hatch.senate.gov/index.cfm?FuseAction=Offices.Contact

Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX)

http://hutchison.senate.gov/e-mail.htm

Senator James M. Inhofe (R-OK)

“The ENFORCE Act (S.2171) which I introduced late last year solves many of the problems the current Senate bill fails to address including: providing for the construction of a high-security, state of the art fence to prevent illegal border crossings; the creation of a border patrol support force made up of recently retired border patrol agents and the creation of tamperproof immigration documents to prevent fraud.

“We will exercise all of our effort to make sure that we get ‘English as the national language’ through conference successfully. We have a national anthem and a national pledge, how 34 Senators think we should not have a national language is inexcusable to me and I think the House Conference Committee will agree.”

http://inhofe.senate.gov/contactus.htm

Senator Johnny Isakson (R-Ga.)

“With the passage of this bill today, t he Senate is telling the American people that we should continue to give a wink and a nod to those who would cross our borders illegally. That is a terrible message to send and that is why I voted ‘No.’”

http://isakson.senate.gov/contact.cfm

Senator Jon Kyl (R-AZ)

“This bill, under its temporary worker program, would place illegal immigrants and all incoming aliens on a pathway to legal permanent residency and ultimately citizenship.

“Temporary, must truly mean temporary, and participants in any temporary worker program should be required to return back to their country.

I will be a part of the group of Senators chosen to work out a final agreement between the House and the Senate. I look forward to the opportunity to work to reach a final agreement that will ensure that immigration is addressed in a way that protects our security, meets our sense of fairness, and strengthens the rule of law. “

http://kyl.senate.gov/contact.cfm

Senator Trent Lott (R-MS)

No statement on S. 2611 but considered one of the best legislators re immigration by Minuteman Project.

http://lott.senate.gov/index.cfm?FuseAction=Contact.Email

Senator Ben Nelson (D-NE)

“The political reality is that there are great differences of opinion on how to handle illegal immigration, but there is general consensus on securing the border. That’s why I’ve said we should secure the border first, and then we can debate how to deal with immigration reform.”

http://bennelson.senate.gov/contact/email.cfm

Senator Pat Roberts (R-KS)

No statement on S. 2611 but overall immigration report card grade of 'A'.

http://roberts.senate.gov/e-mail_pat.html

Senator Rick Santorum (R-PA)

“This [comprehensive immigration reform] bill rewards illegal behavior, threatens our social welfare system, devalues the legal immigration process, and provides amnesty for millions of illegal immigrants. I could not, in good conscience, support such a bill, and it is my hope that the House of Representatives feels the same way.”

http://santorum.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=ContactInformation.ContactForm&CFID=3170828&CFTOKEN=30121591

THE VERY BEST FRIEND OF AMERICA IN THE UNITED STATES SENATE!

Senator Jeff Sessions (R-AL)

“The American people were counting on us to secure our borders and restore the rule of law to our immigration system,” Sessions said. “Unfortunately, the United States Senate today let the American people down by passing a deeply flawed bill that gives the illegal alien population every benefit this nation can bestow, and increases future legal immigration levels by three to five times the current level. Additionally, the immigration levels for the future ensure that 70 percent of the large influx will be admitted without having to meet any educational, skill or language requirements.”

Workplace enforcement is an integral component of effective immigration enforcement. Today, no mandatory workplace verification system exists, and employers know they can get away with hiring illegal workers. This must end. The provisions in the bill that attempt to address the problems in the workplace are deficient and will not work.

THANK YOU FOR FIGHTING FOR AMERICA AND AMERICANS, SENATOR SESSIONS!!

http://sessions.senate.gov/

Please, if you write to none other, write to this great Senator!

Senator Richard Shelby (R-AL)

“I voted against this bill because it sends the wrong message. The bill the Senate passed today rewards those who have broken our laws and come to this country illegally. It establishes a massive amnesty program that will legalize more than 12 million illegal aliens. This bill repeats the mistakes of the past and will only serve to embolden those seeking to break our laws and come to the United States illegally in the future. The American people deserve better. I am hopeful that meaningful immigration reform that secures our borders, tightens our laws, and strengthens enforcement provisions will emerge from conference.”

Senator@shelby.senate.gov

Senator Debbi Stabenow (D-MI)

No statement.

http://stabenow.senate.gov/email.htm

Senator John Sununu (R-NH)

"Throughout American history, immigration has brought workers, ideas, and new energy to our economy, fueling growth and creating new opportunities. I support the goal of reforming America’s immigration system, which should include strengthened border security, . . . Although the Senate-passed bill attempts to address these needs, it falls short, particularly in the area of designing new visas, and enforcing standards for employee documentation. The differences between the House and Senate bills are significant, but I believe that these problems can be dealt with by the conference committee.”

http://www.sununu.senate.gov/webform.html

Senator Jim Talent (R-Mo.)

"I opposed the bill because it grants a broad based amnesty to millions of people who have violated our laws and puts American jobs and wages at risk" said Sen. Talent. "The proposal before the Senate would give the benefits of citizenship to those who have entered the country unlawfully; and it’s especially unfair to put them at the front of the line ahead of those who have waited patiently for years to enter the country lawfully. I can’t see how we can ask the American tax payer to cover the 54 billion dollar price tag for a proposal to pay for foreign workers whom our economy may not even need and put at risk programs that Missourians rely upon like Medicare and Medicaid."

(bonus: poll on his website)
http://talent.senate.gov/Contact/default.cfm

Senator Craig Thomas (R-WY) (see Senator Enzi)

Senator John Thune (R-SD)

No statement on S. 2611. Co-sponsored amendment #3961 with Sen. Isakson to secure border first before legalization debate. (defeated)

http://thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Contact.Email

Senator David Vitter (R-LA)

“My plea to all of my colleagues is that we address this major issue in a simple two-step approach. First, let’s do what there is wide consensus on, let’s pass important border security provisions. Let’s pass important and vital enforcement provisions, including those which go directly at employers who break our law by hiring illegals. And let’s prove to ourselves and our constituents that this can and will be done.

“Talk is cheap. And if it is cheap anywhere, perhaps it is cheapest, quite frankly, in the Congress. We talk a good game about this issue. We talk about enforcement in the context of this debate. But the simple fact is that we have never proven ourselves on the issues of enforcement and border security.”

http://vitter.senate.gov/?module=webformiqv1

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