Posted on 04/23/2006 10:55:27 AM PDT by NormsRevenge
WASHINGTON - The chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee said Sunday he believes Congress will be able to work out differences and pass an election-year immigration bill, calling reform too important to neglect.
"I think the committee bill which got to the floor has the key ingredients of a successful bill," said Sen. Arlen Specter (news, bio, voting record), R-Pa., who has pledged to have legislation ready for debate soon after lawmakers return Monday from their two-week recess.
Specter noted that the Senate bill is aimed at protecting the borders, regulating the flow into the country of so-called guest workers and determining the legal future of the 11 million illegal immigrants already here.
"I think that there has to be an agreement between Democrats and Republicans on a list of amendments," he said. "And it would be a tough conference, candidly, with the House, but we were able to work through the Patriot Act although there were big disagreements."
Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, R-Tenn., intends to seek passage of immigration legislation by Memorial Day by reviving the Senate bill that stalled earlier this month due to internal disputes in both parties as well as political maneuvering.
In a gesture to conservative critics of the measure, Republican leadership aides said last week that Frist also will seek roughly $2 billion in immediate additional spending for border protection.
Some conservatives have said the Senate bill is unacceptable because provisions allowing for eventual citizenship to some of the illegal immigrants already here amount to amnesty. An immigration bill passed by the House is largely limited to enforcement, imposing criminal penalties and proposing to build a fence along the U.S.-Mexico border.
On Sunday, Democratic Sen. Carl Levin (news, bio, voting record) said it is possible the Senate can pass a bill if "the administration will weigh in and the president will take a leadership role on this."
"We need a bipartisan bill. We need a comprehensive bill," said Levin of Michigan, who appeared with Specter on "Late Edition" on CNN. "It's very possible we can get one, providing we address all of the problems, and not just one or two of them, since it's obvious our system is now broken."
That's funny, I musta missed that part.
regulating..
Congre$$ sure does a bangup job at that, huh?
Senators,
Here is an idea. ENFORCE THE LAWS WE ALREADY HAVE!!!!!!!!!!!
Thank you.
Social Security and IRS cooperation WITH ICE is amendment that is required in any immigration bill!
ICE needs this amendment to conduct raids in the manner that they were conducted on IFCO, the pallet company!
...from walls or fences that might offend our southern neighbors.
I have a better idea. Instead of passing "bills", just build a big wall and enforce the laws in existence.
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The issue of a guest worker program is completely separate from the issue of illegal aliens.
We have a guest worker program. It may need to be reformed but illegal aliens are those who have not applied to be guest workers. There are 11 million of them. (or more) The only thing needing reform now concerns illegal aliens and border security. We need to enforce the existing laws respecting the presence and employment of illegal aliens and border security.
Border security is the number one problem in this debate. The flood of illegal aliens is a major factor in relation to our lack of border security but it is only one factor. There is also a matter of national security in a time of war and in an age when terrorists have set their sights on inflicting mass destruction on our society.
After the issues of border security and millions of illegal foreign nationals on our soil the matter of guest workers is very small. Until the first two problems are thoroughly and firmly addressed the guest worker issue should not even be discussed.
Immigration and a guest worker program are separate issues from the above.
The President the Senate and the House need to get that message with unambiguous resolve.
Secure the border!
Crack down on employers!
(The dog-and-pony show catch-and-release won't cut it either.)
No anchor babies!
Deport illegal aliens.
Bring in immigrants who have been waiting for years with papers in hand!
Nothing else will do.
Now is the time to put the pressure on!"According to this new bill that's tied up in the Senate, illegal immigrants who can prove they've been here for two years would be allowed to stay. So follow the logic here. If you can prove you broke the current law for two years, you've protected under the new law." --Jay Leno
ping
It's another bait and switch, throwing an increase in border funding, which they planned on anyway then saying 2 weeks later we've done enforcement now let's amnesty them. Enforcement first means actually doing it for a while not just talking about it as they've been for the last 20 years. It's understandable why democrats like Carl Levin want a "comprehensive" plan, those are potential voters for their party. What's less clear is why so many supposed Republicans are jumping on board.
Sphincter, once again, selling out our country. Lord, I wish Eichorn would have stuffed HIM in a trunk.
Sure Specter is going to virtually control our borders with a virtual fence while everyone from Mexico and elsewhere continues to virtually pour in here. The man is an embarrassment and here's hoping the House rolls over him and his open border plans exactly as they did several months ago when he and his good buddy Ted Kennedy tried to ram through massive increases in the H1-b scam they love so much.
Arlen, can you say would you like frys with that burger?
That's where you belong you moron.
Seeing the name Specter is almost like seeing the name McCain. It makes me cringe.
The GOP has been infected with open-borders neo-cons like Spector. You realize that the GOP is going to ignore its bases wishes on immigration and then try to real them back in this Summer with a Marriage Amendment?
See: http://www.conservatoroccidentalis.com/?p=54
I think it is a fair analysis.
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