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"And the rats bring down yet another good man."

Anyone remember, just a year ago, the Homeland Security bill behing held up... because Delay didn't want border security to be part of the "Homeland Security" package?

Delay promised that if Sensenbrenner would unattach his bill, then the House would take up the issue in early 2005.

He lied - they never did.

Delay did some good, but don't idolize the man. He's just another politician - better than some, but nothing to idolize.

Hopefully, we can do better.

http://www.fairus.org/site/PageServer?pagename=media_media4e38

January 27, 2005

Legislation Includes Immigration Reforms Recommended by 9/11 Commission Omitted from the Intelligence Reform Billz

(Washington, DC—January 27, 2005) In December, House Judiciary Committee Chairman James Sensenbrenner (R-WI) reluctantly agreed to shelve important immigration reform provisions of last year's homeland security legislation so that vital intelligence reforms could be enacted as quickly as possible. While key Senate leaders and the White House were prepared to see intelligence reform sacrificed to special interest pressure to block the immigration reforms in the 2004 bill, in the end Sensenbrenner and other House leaders agreed that reforming our nation's intelligence agencies was too important to delay.

Yesterday, Chairman Sensenbrenner and 115 cosponsors introduced legislation to adopt some of the reforms recommended by the bipartisan 9/11 Commission that would correct many of the loopholes in our immigration laws and enforcement policies that were exploited by the terrorists who attacked our country three years ago. H.R. 418 would implement 9/11 Commission recommendations on standards for issuing driver's license and identity document, preventing terrorists from gaining political asylum in the U.S., bar entry of aliens with ties to terrorist groups, and improved security along our borders.

"We congratulate Chairman Sensenbrenner for his leadership in the last Congress and ensuring that intelligence reform was not held hostage to petty politics, and we commend him for his continued commitment to America's security by reintroducing the vital immigration related provisions at the very first opportunity in the 109th Congress," stated Dan Stein, president of FAIR. "Preventing terrorist from entering our country and then blending in to the vast and diverse fabric of our nation is every bit as important as infiltrating terrorist networks overseas. The provisions of H.R. 418 were specifically called for by the 9/11 Commission, and the important work of defending our nation from terrorists will not be complete until all of the 9/11 Commission's recommendations are enacted and implemented."

The House leadership committed to allowing these measures to be considered early in 2005, or to attaching them to other legislation moving through Congress. "There is no need for lengthy hearings and endless referrals to assorted committees," said Stein. "These matters have been studied in depth by the 9/11 Commission and analyzed and discussed by both houses of Congress last year. The only thing that remains to be determined is whether Congress and the White House have the fortitude to stand-up to a few vocal special interests that are prepared to place their own economic and political interests ahead of homeland security.