Senate Panel Approves Immigration Bill

AP on Yahoo ^ | 3/27/06 | David Espo - ap

[NormsRevenge]

WASHINGTON - The Senate Judiciary Committee approved election-year immigration legislation Monday that clears the way for millions of undocumented workers to seek U.S. citizenship without having to first leave the country.

After days of street demonstrations that stretched from California to the gounds of the U.S. Capitol, the committee also voted to strip out proposed criminal penalties for residents found to be in this country illegally.

The panel's vote cleared the way for the full Senate to begin debate Tuesday on the emotional immigration issue.

"All Americans wanted fairness and they got it this evening," said Sen. Edward M. Kennedy (news, bio, voting record), the Massachusetts Democrat who played a pivotal role in drafting the legislation, approved 12-6.

Committee Chairman Arlen Specter, R-Pa., voted for the bill but signaled that some of the provisions could well be changed by the full Senate.

In general, the bill is designed to strengtehn border patrol, create new opportunities for so-called guest workers and determine the legal future of the estimated 11 million immigrants living in the United States illegally.

At several critical popints, committee Democrats were united while Republicans splintered. In general, GOP Sens. Lindsay Graham of South Carolina, Sam Brownback of Kansas and Mike DeWine of Ohio, who is seeking re-election this fall, sided with Democrats.

That gave Democrats a majority that allowed them to shape the bill to their liking.

[La Enchiladita]

HURRAH! HURRAH for TR!

oh... he's dead isn't he... darn.

We have no one to speak this way now. None to dare.

Sensenbrenner for President.

[Dane]

Nobody but nobody is a bigger blowhard on this forum than you are. You and pukindog are elitists of the worst kind, the very kind that gives Republicans a bad name

You really have leftist marxist fetish don't you.

[DoughtyOne]

I hear you.

[Pukin Dog]

Not showing up for duty, now that is easy, or at least it is when your last name is Bush.

Have you spent a moment in the military? Not showing up for duty is probably the hardest thing possible. And just when would Bush be learning to fly if he wasn't showing up?

[Mamzelle]

I think we need civil rights litigation against employers of illegals. Legal residents and citizens are being discriminated against in employment.

I'm quite serious. I think there's a legal theory out there that would allow civil rights lawsuits against employers of illegal aliens.

[ARealMothersSonForever]

Not passing any bill is the same as amnesty as far as I'm concerned.

Spoken as a true shrink government, cut spending, get big brother out of my business conservative. LOL

[HonestConservative]

I heard him on Snow this morning.

I have not heard anyone running for Pres who comes as close as I would like to a plan that respects the law.

McCain? Allen? Hitlery?

I'm no lover of Frist, but at least he is attempting to make the right noises, I would like to encourage others who are so lead to do the same.

What R that is running is pro-border control and truly anti-amensty? IF I can stand him, I will follow him.

[VA40]

They are already here. And they are waving Mexican flags down our streets. They don't appear to want to be Americans.

[SC33]

I have always considered myself a conservative. I happen to like alot of the Republicans in Congress right now. I dislike country club Republcians, however, and I feel our President is one. That is all there is to it. I'm not a communist, a democrat, a l,ibertarian, etc., I just don't agree with President Bush or the elitists in the Senate.

[Pukin Dog]

You and pukindog are elitists of the worst kind,

You see, even after I suggested you keep your emotions out of it, you start slinging crap at others.

When you run out of facts, you start with the crap. It is a dead giveaway that your argument is weak.

[oceanview]

Alito won because the votes amongst senators, with support from people like us, were there. The idea that Bush alone used his political power to push Alito through, is crazy - if he had that kind of political power, Miers would be on the SCOTUS right now.

[BlessedByLiberty]

CA Senators are definitely on board with this. Pelosi has an interest in a non-union winery and restaurant here that employ many 'Spanish speaking' workers.

Everyone's on board with saying its employers who need to be punished for all of this - well how many of our Congress critters have illegals working in their homes and their businesses? I think while we're writing letters we start asking that question point blank.

CA's Wicked Witches of the West: Pelosi, Feiinstein, Boxer all live in their security towers while here in northern CA our middle-class neighborhoods are turning into barrios - schools peopled by non-English speaking students and administrators who cater to them in the name of tolerance.

We have homes being sold - in cash - to a four member family and twelve adult males move in with them. The once quiet neighborhood has 24/7 music, screeching tires, and people just "hanging out" on the sidewalk.

Perhaps in our letters of outrage, we should enclose pictures of day laborers on corners, food push carts, and other things going on in our neighborhoods so they can see what's it's like outside of their security zones.

[antaresequity]

That Rustling Sound you hear is the sound of millions of suitcases and backpacks being stuffed with 'worldly' belongings in Mexico for the trip North.

That Chinging Sound you hear is the sound of money being deposited into smugglers accounts.

That Squealing Sound you hear is the sound Law Abiding Immigrants and US Citizens taking it in the rear...

[Tulsa Ramjet]

"They will allow 20 mil WETBACKS to continue to feed at the trough."

What do you do for a living?

[La Enchiladita]

De nada.

[SC33]

My argument is the same agrument that 75% of Americans make. It is not weak by any measure.

[Dane]

I have always considered myself a conservative. I happen to like alot of the Republicans in Congress right now. I dislike country club Republcians, however, and I feel our President is one. That is all there is to it. I'm not a communist, a democrat, a l,ibertarian, etc., I just don't agree with President Bush or the elitists in the Senate

JMO, but with your class envy rhetoric you give dennis kucinnich a run for his money.

[Republic Rocker]

The last laugh looks like it is on us....... they kept coming and coming and coming and now can force the hand by sheer numbers.....illegals have gained enough control to now get what they set out to take...OUR COUNTRY. Shame.

Stupid Us.