Posted on 03/16/2006 1:51:16 PM PST by VU4G10
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Under pressure to produce broad immigration reform legislation by the end of the month, a U.S. Senate panel on Thursday neared agreement on a proposal that would give some of the 12 million illegal aliens living in the country an opportunity to earn citizenship.
Although no vote will be held until after a weeklong congressional recess, the Senate Judiciary Committee on Thursday appeared ready to back a proposal by panel member Sen. Edward Kennedy, a Massachusetts Democrat, who has worked on the issue with his Republican colleague John McCain of Arizona.
The panel, which is working on comprehensive immigration and border security legislation, will also consider a related proposal that would allow foreigners to enter the United States as legal guest workers and then have a chance to earn permanent status.
Republicans are divided over immigration policy, and the Judiciary Committee plan is likely to spark a firestorm from conservatives who oppose regularizing the status of illegal immigrants, saying they would be rewarded after breaking U.S. immigration law.
But backers cite both economic and security reasons. They say that providing a path to permanent residency and eventual citizenship will avoid creating a permanent underclass of workers and help bring illegals aliens out of the shadows.
Sen. Charles Grassley, an Iowa Republican who opposes giving permanent status to illegals, said after the meeting that the panel would probably vote for the Kennedy plan.
"The votes are there," Grassley said.
NO AMNESTY
Kennedy told the committee the proposal was not an amnesty. People seeking legal status would have to pay a $2,000 fine, apply for a six-year temporary status, have a job, pay taxes, learn English and show an understanding of U.S. government.
They would not get permanent status faster than the three million foreigners awaiting legal entry, he said.
"There is no moving to the front of the line, there is no free ticket," Kennedy said. "This is not amnesty."
Sen. Lindsey Graham, a South Carolina Republican, quipped that the requirements "probably exclude half of my family."
The panel also reached tentative agreement on a guest worker program sought by President George W. Bush has said he wants. A compromise struck between Kennedy and Sen. John Cornyn, a Texas Republican, would give future temporary workers an opportunity to seek permanent status after four years.
U.S. business groups favor creating a temporary worker program to help fill jobs that Americans either cannot or will not do. Both business and labor groups also favor giving current undocumented workers a way to legalize their status.
Committee members said details would be worked out during the recess.
The panel is working against a deadline set by Majority Leader Bill Frist. The Tennessee Republican, and possible contender in the 2008 presidential race, wants the Senate to take up a bill addressing only enforcement and border security. He threatened to do that on March 27 if the Judiciary Committee failed to reach agreement on comprehensive legislation.
Whether Congress will finalize immigration legislation before the November congressional elections is unclear. Both Democrats and Republicans are likely to use the issue to gain advantage.
The House of Representatives has voted for tough border security and enforcement legislation with no guest worker program. The two sides would have to work out their differences before a bill could be sent to Bush for his signature.
If this bill is made law with a shamnesty I will not vote for and respendicans in 2006. Third party or just stay home.
You call it amnesty.....they call it well....amnesty so what can I tell you.
BREAK our laws and get gold cards and get all the politicians fawning all over you and giving you anything your little heart desires, want our country? You got it! Want socialism? You got it! Dont' want to pay taxes? You got it!
It seems that unless we have a way to bring in legal foreign workers, we will continue to deal with this issue.
Capitalism always win. See Soviet Union if you have doubts.
Sometimes I think we would all be better off if we just ignored the whole lot of them!
Sure seems so.
Damn them.
Thought this might interest you....
"If McKennedy passes the Senate, it won't make it past the other house."
Ding ding ding. Cornyn/Kyl, as bad as it is, could probably barely squeeze through the house, but McCain-Kennedy has a zero percent chance of passing the house of representatives, period.
The soundbite senate will probably agree to some of the House security requirements (not going as far as a wall) as long as the House plays ball on the Amnesty.
I hope the political prostitutes are ready to compromise their jobs.
They want it this way, because the plan is for Dems to win in 2008.
Yep
We need a viable third party now.
Kennedy and McCain? I don't have to read any more--I'm against it.
You know what's gets me? It's the guest-worker thing. When Washington condescendingly looks down at Americans and say that they're unable to fill the jobs currently done by illegals. This is pure elitism. Hey Washington - get rid of the freebies so able-bodied Americans can pick the veggies and clean hotel bathrooms. All those NOLA folks getting $2,000 debit cards when they could have been easily put to work. I'd rather have prison inmates do these jobs before illegals. < /RANT >
Week long recess to come home and duck HEAT rounds...
Our own little Axis of Evil, how sweet.
I am smiling. I always smile when I get scre.d
Who sez we're capitalistic anymore? Look at the all "safety nets" the illegals are overloadin'.
BTW: back in the '60s we sent 'em packin'.
Do you remember how ANGRY Clinton got when the voters handed the House to the Republicans in 1994? He was furious and called us all joe-sixpacks and idiots. I predict a Bush version of the dance if the Republicans get sent packing in the fall, and I think there is a good chance of it. Especially in the senate. The house gets some good things done, but the senate isn't worth a bucket of warm p!ss.
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