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.
Allen voted no...
i say thee NAY!
And, thanks to Senator Specter, from my state of Pa., any state building a fence needs to "consult" with Mexico before doing so!
On that note, according to today's AP article, Senator Graham today is basically challenging us to vote him out of office - "Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C. argued for finishing the bill before the November elections.
'This is one problem that is not going to wait until the next election," Graham said. "If you win or lose because you make a hard decision, so be it.'"
I, for one, have my checkbook all ready for any conservative primary challenger who wants to help make his wish come true.
I wish I had an alternative to Lugar. He was the only Republican running in Indy. I did not vote for him anyway, but it makes me so angry that he is so sure of his seat that he does these totally stupid things! I don't know who, if anyone is running against him. I'd be very tempted to vote for them, even if they were a dem, if they were conservative, they'd have my vote and money.
I just wrote all of the RINO's that voted for this bill and told them that my money would be going to their opponents in the fall election. That they thumbed their noses at the law abiding americans and it was time to clean house, or should I have said Senate? :)
Arguing over the "kind"(the details) of the bill is wasted effort..
This is a diversion.. Treason and Sedition are against the law but who will enforce them?.. NO ONE!... What is "illegal" has become a topic on a sliding scale.. Its only actually illegal if some "cop" will frog march you to the slammer.. and you're convicted..
Ask Sandy Berger... Passing a law is merely paperwork and photo ops.. Able Danger screams that.. We are no longer a nation of laws we are a nation of amnesty.. Amnesty for some and bonk bonk on the head for others.. The legal system is broken.. WHY?.. because Congress is broken.. as are the "people" that elect them.. WE ALREADY HAVE the Congress we deserve... else; "WE" wouldn't have elected them, "WE" did..
Whats legal or illegal is a Dog and Pony Show.. with clowns Elephants, Donkeys and everything.. It appears that what happens in Congress is a Sitcom.. not a serious sitcom but a comedy sitcom.. And "the People" want to be entertained..
ELSE; they would do something about it... They havn't AND WON'T.. The People are oblivious.. Angry or happy with the players on the sitcom, but not enough to do anything about it.. WHY?.. because the illusion of "WHATS LEGAL" is easier to fondle, else they might HAVE to do something.. Actually change their own attitudes AND DO SOMETHING.. like change their voting patterns..
On the otherhand Many many are very happy with the present situation.. they trust a broken Congress and/or a broken System.. Whats to change?.. Fat, happy and oblivious..
I think we need to ask that all illegals signed up to vote by socialists/communists/democrats from 2005 through November 2008 be investigated for document fraud and that those who signed them up be investigated for perpetrating voter fraud. We should not accept the results of any further election without that requirement.
Im trying to find out now. It really surprised me when I heard he did..
Heck - this is a BONUS for 'em. They might be able to Earned Income Tax credit for those years...
I agree. That roughly translates in to 2500 miles in areas not covered by a fence
Too bad 'ol Strom couldn't have lived to 120.
Can't SC do better than this liberal Republican senator? Makes no sense.
"Two can play at that game. All the House has to do is remind the WH that should the democrats get power the next two years aren't going to be very much fun for them."
Yes, impeachment fun coming up.
Old Gutless, Sell Out Linseed Gramham Cracker is not Strom thats for sure.
"I don't want a Commie liberal being their Commander and Chief while we are fighting a war (that he will not believe in)."
Then how do the Pelosis, Kennedys and Reids manage to get their way, even when their party is in the minority? The GOP majority counts for nothing, because too many cross the line and vote with the "commie liberals."
I share your pain. You have Lugar and I have Specter.
"Today, Sen. Jeff Sessions said that he's been approached by many Republican Senators, who confided in him that this is a BAD piece of work, yet, they are voting FOR it -- and, hoping that the House will save them from themselves!
Now, if anyone can come up with any third explanation for that kind of behavior -- something besides 'mentally ill', or 'just obeying orders' -- I'm all ears."
Sorry, it's obeying orders. Aka Rove. Aka "permanent Republican majority." End stop.
Then clean those people out of our Party during the Primary election.
"The 'other base' will continue to exercise its clout, and it's pretty obvious that they want this travesty to go through to completion, they intend to see it through, and they are NOT accustomed to NOT getting what they want."
This is the part I don't understand. These illegals are useful to the extent that they are illegal labor, and are paid under the table. Legalising them opens them up to unionisation.
Also, a massive influx of unskilled labor adds to the cost of the welfare state, which the monied interests end up paying a lot into. What then, hire more illegals to help lower the bottom line?
It's the marriage of big government and big business - fascism.
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