Posted on 05/25/2006 2:46:41 PM PDT by NormsRevenge
WASHINGTON - Legislation offering millions of illegal immigrants a chance at U.S. citizenship moved to the brink of Senate passage Thursday, a rare reach across party lines and a triumph for President Bush.
Majority Leader Bill Frist called for swift talks with the House, which has passed its own version, in what loomed as an arduous search for compromise.
Underscoring bipartisan support in the Senate, Frist, R-Tenn., and Democratic leader Harry Reid of Nevada announced in advance they would support the measure. It was months in the drafting and narrowly survived several brushes with disaster across more than a week of debate.
The legislation calls for stronger border security, a new guest worker program and — most controversially — provisions giving many of the illegal immigrants in the country an eventual chance to become citizens. Another provision would establish a new system to verify the legal status of workers, and punish employers who knowingly hire illegal laborers.
Conservatives attacked the bill to the end after trying unsuccessfully to pick it apart with amendments.
"This bill will not secure our borders," said Sen. Jeff Sessions (news, bio, voting record), R-Ala., one of the most persistent critics.
"This is amnesty," said Sen. David Vitter, R-La., who tried last week to strip out provisions relating to citizenship.
Together, Sessions and Vitter echoed the views of numerous House Republicans, many of whom have vigorously denounced the Senate bill as well as Bush's call for a "comprehensive approach" to the issue.
That portended difficult compromise talks in the shadow of midterm elections, at a time when Bush's poll ratings are low, congressional Republicans are concerned and Democrats are increasingly optimistic about their chances at the polls.
For now, supporters of the Senate bill said they intended to savor their victory. Peppered with questions about the compromise talks ahead, Sen. Mel Martinez, R-Fla., said, "I'm going to celebrate here."
The House bill, which passed on a largely party-line vote last year, is generally limited to border enforcement. It would make all illegal immigrants subject to felony charges and it contains no provision for either a new temporary worker program or citizenship for men, women and children in the country unlawfully.
Frist said compromise talks should begin swiftly.
"I think it is important on this issue with millions of people coming across our borders illegally, not knowing who they are, where they are going or why they are coming," he said.
In contrast to the House measure, the Senate bill would mark the most far-reaching changes in immigration law in two decades. Built on compromise after painstaking compromise, it was designed to appeal to conservatives and others seeking tougher border enforcement; business interests eager for a steady supply of legal, low-wage labor; unions seeking enhanced protections for migrants who often toil in seasonal work the fields and Hispanics who are on the cusp of greater political power and determined to win a change in legal status for millions of illegal immigrants.
That last group — Hispanics — comprises the fastest growing segment of the electorate, and millions made their feelings clear in street demonstrations denouncing the House measure and calling for passage of a broader measure.
Bush played a prominent role in the run-up to passage. An Oval Office speech last week made explicit his support for the Senate's overall approach. A later trip to Arizona was designed to reassure conservatives about his commitment to stanching illegal immigration.
In more than a week of debate, the Senate made a series of changes in the legislation. Still, the key pillars were preserved when opponents failed to knock out the guest worker program or the citizenship provisions. A new program for 1.5 million temporary agricultural workers also survived.
To secure the borders, the measure calls for the hiring of an additional 1,000 new Border Patrol agents this year and 14,000 by 2011, and backs Bush's plan for a short-term deployment of National Guard troops to states along the Mexican Border. The bill calls for new surveillance equipment as well as the construction of 370 miles of triple-layered fencing and 500 miles of vehicle barriers.
The new guest worker program would admit 200,000 individuals a year. Once here, they would be permitted for the first time to petition on their own for a green card that confers legal permanent residency, a provision designed to reduce the potential for exploitation by employers.
A separate new program, a compromise between growers and unions, envisions admission of an estimated 1.5 million immigrant farm workers who may also apply for permanent residency
Even supporters of the bill conceded the three-tiered program related to illegal immigrants was complicated.
Those in the country unlawfully for five years or more would be permitted to remain, continue working and eventually apply for citizenship. They would be required to pay at least $3,250 in fines and fees, settle any back taxes and learn English.
Illegal immigrants in the country for more than two years but less than five would be required to travel to a point of entry before re-entering the United States legally and beginning a lengthy process of seeking citizenship. They would be subject to the same fines, fees and other requirements as the longer-term immigrants.
An immigrant in the country illegally for less than two years would be required to leave with no guarantee of return.
A new electronic system for employee verification is designed to hold employers accountable for hiring decisions. It provides for maximum fines of $20,000 for each worker and possible jail time for repeat offenders.
A separate controversy erupted over a call to make English the national language. Supporters said it would leave all current rights in place. Detractors argued it could undermine an executive order that mandates assistance to individuals who receive services such as health care yet lack proficiency in English.
Source for who Denny "I Quit" Hastert named to the conference committee?
Don't forget Teddy Kennedy and Cankles.
Try putting the blame where the blame belongs
It was McCain that pushed this bill
I cant find the list of votes, where would I look? Its not on the Senate webpage..
I will not support any candidate in any primary election who does not first sign onto a plan that totally seals the border.
Per Lou Dobbs tonight on CNN, there was a last minute amendment approved that requires that the US consult with Mexico before we build a security fence. Anyone have specific language
While I understand the sentiment, the better option is to take it case by case. If the person is conservative, then support him/her. If the only time he or she is conservative is 2 months before an election, then of course, withhold your support! I agree that continuing to vote for someone simply based on party loyalty can no longer be justified.
Hate to break this to you, but it matches almost perfectly with Bush's big speech last Monday.
No it does not
Well, Pence's bill may be the way that it gets through....and the Pence bill is still fatally flawed in that it allows for people who have been here illegally, committed various types of identity theft and fraud to still be eligible for guest worker status or even citizenship.
Rush says the Mexicans will be required to pay taxes for three of the past five years.
So look on the bright side - We can all argue that the government allow it's home-grown citizens that same benefit!
Pick your worst 3 out of 5 years' income, and file for those years only!
Right. I forgot. Bush had nothing to do with it. He wanted to build a fence and put in a mine field, with armed guard towers, and tanks and 500,000 troops to shoot on sight anyone illegaly coming into the country. Sorry, I forgot.
We Have Been Sold Out
I did not vote to Republican to have Vincente Fox consulted on whether we can build a fence. A sad day for Bush and other so called leaders of the Republican Party.
The Senate vote will be available usually about an hour after the vote is taken.
http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/vote_menu_109_2.htm
I see you haven't been paying attention to what's been going on the Senate
This is a very very very sad day for America, our security, our Sovereignty and the Republican party. To allow a foreign nation leader to DICTATE if and when we can PROTECT OUR BORDER.........is.....I am speechless.
Who am I kidding, I already know which "r"s voted for this pig. People, we have been sold out. The will of the people has truly been thwarted. "R"s and "D"s trash eachother in public and then retire to Bullfeathers to buy eachother rounds. For the people, my ass!
Do you know their names?
"Hastert has already named moderates to the conference committee. The fix is in, the deal done. Amnesty, followed by republicans being voted out this fall."
I don't know about that. If what was intimated earlier by Sensenbrenner, that Bush feigned support for the House bill, then I assume tricked them into agreeing prior to Bush's speech to put pro-amnesty Housse members on the reconciliation committee, Hastert's announcement about a "majority of Republicans" signals he was so tricked, but has an ace up his sleeve.
Also now that we have a final senate bill, it will be more widely examined -- Jay Leno will work it over I suspect.
The idea that the Democrats are going to win votes if there is no deal by telling the American voters the Repubs are bad because they won't insource millions of new people is insane. But check out the lefty chatrooms, the discussions are marked with confusion why Bush is on their side, and deflections of economic discussions to focus on "racists" and "Republican racist pandering." Rove told the media to go that way, the MSM followed, so did the lefties.
Truly they have no pretence of speaking for the "common man" anymore.
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