Like that's gonna ever work.
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.
Army, it stands for Bend over here it comes again.
Like that's gonna ever work.
This is going no where.
The drunk Kennedy would have you believe he is creating a line 10 million deep, patiently awaiting immigration. Nonsense.
The problem is that the Senate has been innundated with angry phone calls, faxes, emails and letters from every day Americans. They are not going to approve something that can not be reconciled with the House.
This bill from the sell out crowd can not be reconciled with the House. So the cowards in the senate are not going to spend the capital to support it.
Keep your protest coming. Joing us at www.numbersusa.com and help to keep the pressure up.
It stands for the same in the AF. ;-)
I'd probably accept something that at least did something to stop the flood of more coming in!
Read my post at 326.
When people don't have to work for what they get they tend not to appreciate what some of us cherish dearly.
Giving away ones birthright to be politically correct is downright unpatriotic.
Lots of good people have died over the years so some present day citizens, ignorant and unappreciative of Americas history can give away for bargain basement prices what other died to protect.
I say piss on this amnesty plan.
Papers what papers we dunt need any stinking papers.
Will Frist's bill stand the way it is or can a 'guest worker' program be added to it?
Putting a Dim in their place won't help either. Try another strategy - like getting a non-RINO to win in the primaries.
depends on what he means by "show an understanding of US government" - he might mean where to apply for food stamps, free housing, and medical care courtesy of the US taxpayer.
"Papers what papers we dunt need any stinking papers."
then you dunt need no stinkin' job.
Is this a real bumper sticker, and if so, where can I get a bunch of them?
I have learned to enjoy trimming plants and even pulling weeds. Something about being outside in the sunshine with my hands in the dirt is relaxing.
It's mowing the lawn, though, that I'd like to find a legal gardener to do. But for now, I have slave labor (a teenager), so all's well.
There's about $839Billion things wrong (projected over the next 10 years) with the new medicare prescription drug entitlement.
You are no conservative if you like more entitlement spending. Why shouldn't their families help them out if they need it ?
You sound like other British folk I know who grew up with the British national health service - you know, Americans are stupid because we don't think taxpayers should have to fork out for someone else's health care and other socialist type thinking.
I agree. And it's obvious that the illegals' first loyalty isn't to this country - look at all the Mexican flags, the sense of entitlement they have instead of gratitude, and that they don't even teach their children the language of this country.
Well just keel on over Peachy, you have no idea what a conservative is.
Neither Bush the first or Bush the 2nd are Conservatives. The main reason Bush the elder failed to get reelected is that he said he would continue the Reagan Revolution, he didn't and we inherited Jimmuh Carter.
You want a Hillary, or maybe something even worse, then just keep on blindly following the RINO line.
The time to hold the line is now, or just watch the Republican party flush itself down the drain, and then wonder why.
I was a Reagan supporter when the moderates forced Ford on us, another pretend Conservative that could not get elected. Bush the younger got reelected because of Kerry, not because of his record, think that over.
As a matter of principle it can be amended. But Frist cut off a good deal of the amendment range with his introduction of a cloure motion, as well as calling for a DIFFERENT measure (lobbying reform) to be debated before the cloture vote on the Border Control bill.
As a practical matter, there is so much contention about the details of a suitable guest worker program, that bringing discussion of that to the Senate flor won't happen. The Judiciary Committee has itsel;f pretty well knotted up on that discussion.
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