Posted on 12/12/2004 9:23:59 PM PST by CHARLITE
House Speaker Dennis Hastert (R.-Ill.) has promised disgruntled conservatives that the House's top priority in the 109th Congress is passing legislation that bars illegal aliens from obtaining driver's licenses, language the Senate stripped from the just-passed intelligence bill.
House Judiciary Chairman James Sensenbrenner (R.-Wis.), a strong proponent of the driver's license provision, secured Hastert's assurance once House leaders agreed to vote on the intelligence bill last week. Sensenbrenner helped thwart a November 20 vote on the legislation because the provision was removed.
Hastert's spokesman, John Feehery, said the speaker wouldn't hesitate about attaching the language to an Iraq supplemental bill, which President Bush is expected to request early next year. "We're going to do everything we can to get it on there," Feehery told HUMAN EVENTS.
But getting the Senate to comply with the driver's license provision is expected to be difficult, particularly because Senators Susan Collins (R.-Maine) and Joe Lieberman (D.-Conn.) fought its inclusion in the intelligence bill. Collins ducked a question last week from HUMAN EVENTS about Sensenbrenner's proposal, claiming she hadn't had time to review it (see page 3).
President Bush has also yet to signal where he stands on the driver's license proposal. In response to a question from HUMAN EVENTS' John Gizzi last week, White House spokesman Scott McClellan said: "In terms of driver's license, the President stated that we need to consult closely with states about the standards that we're talking about setting."
Sensenbrenner said the White House was trying to work out disputes within the administration before agreeing to the language. He rejected the idea that Bush might want the provision attached to his controversial "guest-worker" proposal for illegal aliens.
Although Sensenbrenner said he would like a House floor vote on his proposal--which also includes asylum reform and completion of a fence on the Mexican border in the San Diego area--he didn't rule out its inclusion in the Iraq funding request. Tying the language to that bill would make it more difficult for the Senate to reject it. Sensenbrenner said, "We will have this all keyed up so when the must-pass bill train leaves the station, this will be on it."
House Government Reform Chairman Tom Davis (R.-Va.) pledged his support for Sensenbrenner's proposal, as did Rep. Steve King (R.-Iowa), who voted against the intelligence bill because it failed to include the immigration reforms. King said he would also push for the expedited removal of illegal aliens and the ability to detain those who pose a danger.
Eleven states currently issue driver's licenses to people without lawful presence in the United States. "The driver's license has become a de facto identification card and that's all it takes to get on an airplane or buy a gun," King told HUMAN EVENTS.
Robert B. Bluey is Assistant Editor for HUMAN EVENTS
This will be interesting, indeed. The illegal alien/drivers license issue is downright visceral, even in most "blue" states, most folks know it's a horrible idea to let illegals have this kind of "gateway" document.
The most interesting part? That's where the progressives have to try to derail the bill without implicating all liberals/democrats as actually rooting for the illegals.
You see, it's all about entitlements justification, wealth redistribution, globalism, and voting (fraud). But then, cloaking these issues in red herring arguments that illegals need driver licenses to drive to work. Mmm-hmmm.
Expect the arguments to be strident and waaaay off point. And, expect a surprising number of voters to find their way to the Republican Party (if we have a clear and united message). The Dems always try to manufacture "wedge issues". Here is one that has occurred naturally.
yep....
although denying people a driver's license won't stop the flow or ever slow it down. But it is a step in the right direction....
well then when you get your Social Security checks, send them back.....
How long before a Federal Judge kills any bill passed?
Even though I was gerrymandered out of Davis' district, I'm glad he did this.
Virginia made major overhauls of the DL/ID/learner's permit regime in the wake of 9/11.
The major change was "proof of lawful presence", which basically means that first time applicants need to bring a passport, birth certificate, immigration document (eg. a visa), or something similar.
Then that and other docs are run by an in-house document examiner and validated.
You'd think from all the wailing and gnashing of teeth that asking for a passport or birth certificate was tantamount to genocide.
The Dimms and the Republicans JUST WILL NOT HEAR the AMERICAN People, we have no place else to go for representation in Congress: Let's see, elections 2006, if the Republicans see a shift in their electorate base they will start to ask questions for sure once the sound of the boots leaving their party base. Once your in the booth you can vote how you prefer, but this will surely shake them to the very marrow of their bones. I guess I've been taken for granted to many times, like the Black man and the Dimm party.
Then the rude awakening can begin. This can also be true for Demmocrats that are not in love with the Left Wing Fruitcakes. I have alway been loyal to the Republican Party, worked during and between elections for various candidates, But I AM an AAMERICAN first.
Constitutional Party,
http://www.constitutionparty.com/
America First Party,
http://www.americafirstparty.org/
Independant American Party
http://www.usiap.org/
The American Party
http://www.theamericanparty.org/
I am sure you read my point, but I think you missed the logic in it.
I don't know about proof of insurance for a license. I got my license before I got my car, so I had no car to insure at the time.
Many everyday activities of tens of millions of Americans are technically "illegal." And in practice, illegal immigration is an offense on a somewhat lower order than jaywalking. It's no big deal, except to some self-styled patriots on this forum.
you see, once I hit 16, my parents put me on their policy (we had USAA) so it wasnt an issue....
Hey. I've had a passport since 1975. I know the drill. People getting murdered here in The United States of America because of illegal alians is BS. The 19 bastards who were complicit in killing 3,000 Americans on 9-11 were her illegally. The had 63 phoney drivers licenses. Do you ever listen to the news? It's been all over the news for weeks. Wake up pal. This country is at WAR.
Walken, see # 15 above. This dolt must be a professor from NYU, Columbia, or Berkley; or a drugged-out peacenik sitcom junky.
Now let me get this right. You are saying It's okay to break the law?
In terms of national security TODAY; this BS is not enough. Now I've put on my tin-foil hat and Nomex suit, waiting for the ACLU junkies to ZOT me.
Regardless, we ARE living in differing time from when most of us were children in the 1960s. Sad, but true.
If anyon of you kitty critters have a better idea; I would like to know. I've been a loyal FReeper for a loooong time and have tried to enlist in the US military for years, but I am too old by government standards. Even though I run million dollar procurement projects; and could leverage and reduce source time 10 fold. Okay - ready for the ZOT mail my friends. Fire!
"They need to do at least 3 things on this issue (although I am sure there is more)
1) Proof of insurance is mandatory
2) Proof of residence
3) Social Security card required..."
You got it. What I've been pointing out is that if an illegal alien is not required to put a valid residence on their license, that means no one else is required to either. Unless you have that provision, the license is damn well meaningless as a mechanism of law enforcement.
My idea is this...
national rules/guidelines for State driver's licenses....
probably wouldnt work...
but a National ID is not the way to go either....
"illegal immigration is an offense on a somewhat lower order than jaywalking. It's no big deal, except to some self-styled patriots on this forum."
Please let me know your address, so I can direct the many illegals I encounter to camp on your front yard. Especially the nice ones I helped out by paying to move my office, who then came back and cleared out my storage shed.
No National ID Card.
This is why the GOP needs to do the right thing, and do it in the right way...
The RATS will give us BIG BIG BIG Brother if the GOP keeps swinging limp on the issue.
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