Posted on 03/27/2006 4:08:50 PM PST by 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.
Can we redirect that sentiment to the IRS who would probablt care more?
It's too late. Angst and apocalypticism have taken over.
WE'RE ALL GONNA DIE!!!!!
During the Miers nomination fight, Sam Brownback was the hero. Now he's the goat.
I have my own irons in the fire on this one ~ we need an immigration law, and enforcement, that allows us to continue skimming the world's intellectual cream. If we need field hands, we can produce our own. However, if we need people who can do doctoral level research, and then first class R&D, we can produce some of our own but for competitive advantage we have to let in folks of that caliber, and an immigration law and policy carved out to serve the interests of large planters in the SW and SE simply doesn't cut it!
Think about it ~ we let in totally illiterate field hands by the millions, but educated people who are highly trained in critical skill areas are allowed in only on limited duration visas that expire the day your company loses a contract.
What kind of nonsense is that?
Make it a holiday, and do it on 'Cinco de Mayo'.
So, let's kill it with extreme sarcasim. Some of these posters are insane, let's just increase the insanity, to the obsurd. Andrew Jackson was the best president ever!
You are definitely a DU plant. No conservative in their right mind would say these things. You can disagree with the President, but to denigrate him like this....well, it isn't RIGHT.
Your true-blue colors are showing.
He became a lame duck in February 2005 whn he decided to waste his "capital" on this garbage.
He has no one to blame but himself.
It's all Andrew Jackson's fault.
Dane, all your pals were out marching on the freeway here today. I'll buy you a flag to match the one's they carry if you'll fly out to California to march in solidarity with them.
When these people can pay no taxes and the employer not pay any taxes on these people, they can afford to work at 5.oo per hour and the employer can afford not to offer a higher wage. They don't pass the savings along, but pocket the profit and build their usiness model on illegal labor.
During the Miers nomination fight, Sam Brownback was the hero. Now he's the goat.
Time for the voters to purge Congress. Every damn one of them should be fired.
Students walked out of high schools here in Dallas, and the DPD gave them a police ESCORT for their protest march! And then, the schools sent buses to take them BACK to school!
Unbelievable!!!
It only takes 40 to filibuster McCain-Kennedy/Specter
Oooh, I've been sending that "peso" to the RNC, but the addition of those words on the bottom makes it even better. Bump to print it out later.
Of course they did. We are so screwed!
The great school skipping amnesty of 2006.
They'll get something from me--Monopoly money and 3-dollar bills.
I think the number is 60
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.