Posted on 07/15/2005 3:32:25 PM PDT by Conservative Firster
WASHINGTON - Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist said Thursday that immigration reform is probably off the table for this year, a prediction that threw cold water on the methodical efforts of Sen. John Cornyn to pass a bill this fall.
"The overall guest worker-immigration legislation will come in this Congress (which ends in late 2006). It won't be this summer, I can't promise it will be in the fall," said Frist, R-Tenn. "More likely, it will be in the early part of next year, but within the next 12 months."
Cornyn, R-Texas., said he was unaware of Frist's comments and found them disturbing. "I hope that isn't right," said Cornyn, who is likely to unveil his proposal, including a guest worker program, next week with his co-author, Sen. Jon Kyl, R-Ariz.
"My impression was that he wanted to do something sooner rather than later," Cornyn said. "I need to talk to him."
'Comprehensive approach'
Frist's comments came during a conference call on border security measures with reporters that coincided with the Senate's debate on the 2006 homeland security spending bill.
Frist said one reason for taking time with the issue was that the Senate's Republican leadership was aiming at a "comprehensive approach" on the idea of guest workers and immigration reform to attract bipartisan support. He said the leadership would "look at what the president has (proposed) and look at individual initiatives."
The majority leader also said he had asked the Government Accountability Office, Congress' watchdog agency, to analyze how many illegal immigrants die annually trying to enter the United States.
"We must protect our nation from those who seek to enter it illegally, but we also have a moral obligation to protect all who set foot on our soil from physical harm," he said.
The delay on immigration legislation this year is largely due to the upcoming Supreme Court confirmation hearings to replace the retiring Justice Sandra Day O'Connor.
The confirmation proceedings occur in the Senate Judiciary Committee, which will also be partly responsible for handling an immigration bill.
Once the committee acts, the full Senate must vote on the nominee. The intensity of that debate is expected to consume a good deal of the Senate's schedule and drastically reduce the number of other bills in the Senate this year.
Concern, disappointment
Still, the news from Frist, who is in charge of scheduling which legislation hits the floor, shocked lawmakers who have spent months crafting immigration proposals.
One of them is Sen. John McCain, a Republican from Arizona who introduced a bill in May with Massachusetts Democrat Ted Kennedy.
The Judiciary Committee is expected to hold a hearing on that measure, as well as the Cornyn-Kyl bill, this month.
"I am very concerned and very disappointed," said McCain, whose legislation would allow illegal immigrants to earn U.S. citizenship. "It's not helpful. More and more bad things happen. There is greater risk for terrorists crossing our borders. There are greater health care and law enforcement costs."
McCain said he hopes the drumbeat of concerns will keep the pressure on Frist to take up an immigration bill.
Cornyn, who chairs the Judiciary Committee's immigration subcommittee, and Kyl, who chairs the homeland security subcommittee, have held a half-dozen hearings on the immigration issue over the past few months.
Their bill would create a guest worker program that mirrors Bush's preference for a system that lets immigrants work here for three years before having to return to their home countries.
It also would include plans for stronger border enforcement and the phasing-in of requirements for all U.S. employers to verify the immigration status of their employees.
Last overhaul took 5 years
But that bill, as well as the McCain-Kennedy measure, will have a tough time in 2006. All of the House and one-third of the Senate will be up for election.
Joseph Vail, director of the Immigration Clinic at the University of Houston Law Center, said Congress has historically taken a long time to act on immigration.
Lawmakers spent about five years crafting the last immigration overhaul bill, which passed in 1986.
Making tax reductions permanent
Tort reform
I suppose I could ADD to NOT DONE, also....Repeal of the DEATH TAX
I have an idea that with Bill Frist as the majority 'leader' the NOT DONE list will remain the same until eventually the dems regain control.
They spent 5 years crafting an amnesty bill in 86.
Maybe they should just forget about immigration, give it back to states and dissolve the INS and give us a tax cut.
Geez Frist...you're an idiot. Immigration will probably be THE issue in 2006 and 2008.
Is he saving it for closer to the elections?
To be honest, there doesn't need to be any new legislation, the Executive branch just needs to uphold their oath's and enforce the law. So maybe the moaning can be directed to those responsible. Frist is a WIMP, be he is not charged with enforcing the laws and statutes.
He could I guess direct the Judicary committee to do diligent oversight, but that won't happen either.
I guess I'm not going to get around to voting Republican next year. Damn.
"We must protect our nation from those who seek to enter it illegally, but we also have a moral obligation to protect all who set foot on our soil from physical harm," he said.
Frist can take his concerns for Mexican nationals and stick 'em where the sun don't shine.
Federal pedophilia sting nets 50 menCops Nab 32 Child Predators, Some Are Illegal Aliens
He [Wayne R. Gross, chief of the Orange County branch of the U.S. Attorney's Office] described the child pornography found in the homes of some suspects as "repulsive depictions" that included pictures of children of all ages, including infants.
An Orange County, CA resident who allegedly exchanged child pornography over the Internet with men who sexually exploited their own children and a Salvadoran national convicted of drugging and sexually assaulting two teens are among the 32 individuals targeted by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement in Orange County this past week as part of Operation Predator.
Also arrested by ICE agents in Orange County during the same week were 22 convicted alien sex offenders who were taken into custody on administrative immigration violations and now face deportation from the United States. The foreign nationals arrested by ICE during the last week include Manuel Gonzalez-Rodriguez, 36, an undocumented Mexican national who lives in Santa Ana. Gonzalez was convicted in Orange County in December 1998 on charges stemming from an incident where he drugged and sexually assaulted two unconscious teenage girls.
I guess I'm not going to get around to voting Republican next year. Damn.
Is there anybody who would do a better Worse job than Frist?
Pissing away our money to buy votes for reelection, so they can Rinse 'n Repeat ad infinitum.
Good thing you all voted Republicrat, huh?
Whats the senate going to get to this year?.......
The military ain't getting time off...cancel the summer recess!!!
The Senate is a debating society. That's what they do, exercise their vocal cords as senior statesmen. The action, if that is what somebody wants to find, is in the House--the People's Branch of the Legislature.
A number I think would be more illuminating is how many American citizens die annually because of the depredations of illegal immigrants and their associated criminal gangs!
Any bets the number would be far higher?
Unfortunately, the Senate has to actually PASS SOMETHING (other than gas or a kidney stone) for the House proposals to get into law.
Add to done:
Gift to banker/credit card donors, screw the little guy legislation
Add to NOT done:
Bolton
Judges
Translation: Bush's immigration proposal is DOA.
It is going to get to exotic vacation resorts, junketing on the taxpayer's back, as soon as the pansies in charge engineer adjournment.
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