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
Secure your perimeter, man! lol
WTF is W thinking?
it could be he is waiting for Congress to act.
I think something will break loose after the 2nd inaugruation...at least I wouldnt bet against it.....
...we voted him in and can't really touch him now...would he veto Homeland Security legislation with secure borders in it? (answer: he has cover amongst RINOs in the Senate and need not worry himself!!/sigh)
64 - would he veto?
if it got too him, I doubt it.
big IF though.....
he could be stalling until he has a new DHS secretary too....
Waiting for answers...... tick-tock-tick-tock... the Church bell is dead?
I'm sure our attention will be easily enough diverted elsewhere if need be...(oooooh!)
hell I havent seen any good ideas to take action on in terms of fixing the issue.
We need to fix what is broken first....
Here we go...what do you think of this?
Fix the internal stuff: people employing illegals, licenses, etc.
Fix the Border: Will a fence work? How about the USBP? I dont think the Army should be bothered with this task, it is a law enforcement thing to either way.
Fix the problem: What's the problem? What is bringing the vast majority of these poor people to our borders? answer that question, build a plan, enact it and let the people make their country work, not have them come to ours....
he would be foolish to think so.
Hell during ELECTION DAY, there were rants and threads screaming about immigration. It couldnt get any more distracting than that....
What's bringing them here besides better paying jobs??
It's all the freebies they can get .. free health care .. free housing is some cases .. free food .. can't let the kids starve
Problem is .. CA and AZ have voted to curb these things only to be over ruled by the courts
That's nice. Not a word of it is a meaningful response to what I said though.
By the way, passports are faked every single day as well. Make them mandatory (which, BTW, would make them the de facto national ID card that everyone here rails against) and illegal alians would be able to buy them as easily as fake birth certificates within weeks ... all while forcing millions of poor Americans to buy something they do not need, essentially creating an entirely new tax stream our of thin air for the U.S Treasury. No thanks.
you fix #'s 1 and 2, that wont be an issue.....
True ... but what about the Judges that keep over ruling the laws ?
injunctions will take care of that...
The USSC will be very busy.....
The ACLU needs to be cutt off and taken down...don't forget Arlen Specter's name in all this, especially in light of ALL this stuff and his record.
Illegal immigration is a big deal to about 70% of Americans. Sorry to hear that you're with the minority on this matter.
I'm not worried about Specter .. he's walking on thin ice and knows he needs to be careful or he'll end up like Lott did
But I do agree with you on the ACLU ... they are behind many, if not all the lawsuit on behalf of the illegals
I am a business analyst. I search for viable solutions. I am also a process analytical engineer. What is your solution? Answer the question. If you do not, or cannot, answer the question, then... you know what to do.
W needs to get tough. I don't have all the answers, however, my family has lost kin in several wars defending this country. Today, we have infiltrators flying our own jets into our buildings.
For all you libs, or anyone else out there trolling; I invite your comments. What is your solution?
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