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.
For months we’ve been talking about the need to strengthen border security and interior enforcement policy in America. Today, the Senate acted.
With hard work and due diligence, we took a bill that was dangerously fraught with amnesty provisions and replaced it with a bill that focuses on the principle of prevention. It calls for drastic measures that will begin to transform our borders from porous to PROTECTED. Most notable among them:
Construction of 370 miles of triple-layered fencing and 500 miles of vehicle barriers
Addition of 15,000 new Border Security agents
Immediate deployment of National Guard to the border Addition of 20,000 detention beds so we can end “catch and release” once and for all
Interior enforcement is essential to any meaningful immigration reform. So, this bill provides for tamper proof, biometric identification cards that will enable employers to hire only legal workers. And this bill authorizes strict penalties for those employers who willingly defy our immigration laws. Other provisions strengthening our immigration laws beyond the border include:
Prohibiting illegal aliens with a felony or a history of resisting deportation from ever obtaining legal residency or American citizenship
Preventing fraud by making illegal immigrants provide verifiable documentary evidence in their application for legal residency.
Declaring English to be the national language of the United States.
This bill, though not perfect, marks progress. It replaces rhetoric with real enforcement and sends a very clear message that there is a right way and a wrong way to enter this country.
The bill now heads to conference where details will be negotiated with the House of Representatives. I expect a lively and productive debate.
Bottom line, we’ve produced a significant bill with strict enforcement provisions … provisions that will only get stricter as we negotiate final details with our colleagues in the House.
More to follow in the days ahead …
And this man still harbors the illusion that he's got a chance in hell of getting the Republican nomination. The only positive is that he's saving us the trouble of voting him out of the Senate by not running for re-election. I think we should encourage McCain, Hagel, Lugar and whomever else decides to try and dupe the Republicans into giving them the nod for 2008 should show the same level of commitment and resign when they announce their candidacy.
Your list shows Bond DIDNT vote for this bill..
Oh no, Hutchison changed her vote and voted Yea. ACK!
Ok than Cornyn deserves our thanks.
What are you talking about?
Hopefully the House hangs tough.
Casey, btw, would have happily voted for this bill.
Well first I saw a list of those Senators who voted nay and Cornyn and Hutchison was on the list that voted nay.
Than I saw another list and Hutchison voted yea.
NOW we are back to were she voted NAY so I guess she really did vote nay. I sent her an email thanking her for voting nay.
It is the Thomas report. I didn't make it up. Just copied and pasted it.
Come on, you live in a purple state- how would Mondale have voted? Do you want to find out?
I am beginning to think the fix is in for Hillery! I do not know if I will vote again. Our government does not care about us.It's all about their power and anyone from Mexico. There are too many people ahead of the American people for the government to give a damn about just plain old us.
You and I are in the minority here with everyone worshiping Bush no matter what. I voted for the guy two times, but I can tell you if he were running again I would not vote for him. I do not just GIVE my vote to anyone. That is what they hope you will do. Be scared of someone like Kerry getting in and you will vote for them no matter what. I am not of that thinking. Sorry to burst everyone's bubble, but I just will not vote for someone that I am POed at for not doing their job. On this issue, BUSH HAS NOT DONE HIS JOB. He has totally failed the country. I don't care what anyone says. He has FAILED.
So they're too effing lazy to learn our language, but we should provide them with free healthcare???
How about we ship them back to a Mexican hospital, someplace that speaks their language?
Exactly,they are to serve the American people. And they don't give a damn about what we think. Something must be done! I was all fired up to work for the republican in 08, now I am sick,angry and will not vote for anyone because they are all the same.
This pretty much tells the story. There are only 36 true Republicans in the Senate.
I checked again this morning, and the web site is still showing Hutchison as having voted NAY. I didn't see where she changed her vote, but I haven't read the updates on this thread this morning either.
Frist is describing a completely different bill from what was passed. this is ironic:
"It replaces rhetoric with real enforcement and sends a very clear message that there is a right way and a wrong way to enter this country."
This is untrue in so many ways .... just 2 examples of how enforcement is gutted:
http://freedomstruth.blogspot.com/2006/05/sham-nesty-bill-now-stymies-employer.html
http://www.heritage.org/Research/Immigration/wm1083.cfm
You have every right to be frustrasted w/ Bush,
but let me remind you of the evil of two lessers:
Kerry didnt just vote for the bill, he voted in favor of every
bad amendment and every good amendment. Kerry and 90% of Democrats are for this bill and for any bill that mainlines 12 million illegals into Democrat-bloc-voting citizens (eager to exapnd the welfare state).
Bush is not good on this issue - no not strong enough - Bush has failed as you say, but, sadly, it would be worse with Kerry. More Democrats in November means a worse bill next year.
Yeah, Frist and the RINOs teamed up with all but 2 of the Democrats to pass it.
57% of the border will remain open to foot traffic.
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