Senate set for immigration vote today - Update: Bill Passed 62-36

AP on Yahoo ^ | 5/25/06 | David Espo - ap

[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.

[RetiredArmy]

right. I ignore everything except your responses. I wait for them so I will know it all like you. thanks for responding.

[libertyline]

Nothing near this bad would have EVER come out of a democratic controlled congress....they wouldn't have dared...and most the Repubs would have fought it. But, because it is coming from the Repubs (and horrible RINOs like McCain), a bunch of Repubs play good little party boys and vote for this.

THIS BILL IS TOTALLY UNWORKABLE. ANYONE WHO THINKS IS MAKES ANY SENSE IS BRAINDEAD.

I could give you a hundred examples...let me give you just two:

Q: How are you ever going to verify how long a person has been in the country illegally? Tell me, geniuses. If fake documents are allowed (even if a single SS is used by 3000 people..and this is what the Senate bill just approved), how are you going to verify anything?

#2: If you "could never deport 12 million people", then how are you ever going to get "guest workers" to go home once their time runs out? What are they going to do? Simply stay when their time runs out. What is going to stop them? NOTHING. And the bill doesn't next to nothing to address this.

Again, THIS BILL IS UNWORKABLE...and could have only come from the idiots on Capitol Hill.

[investigateworld]

Six months ago, I caught a lot of razzing when I said that Hilary has better than a 50% chance of being POTUS.

[tabsternager]

Huh?

Conferees aren't appointed until bills pass in the Senate.

[steveegg]

Let's see if I have this right. President Bush pushed for a tougher border to cross, eventual naturalization of most of the 12 million illegal aliens, and a guest-worker program. The Senate approved a very-slightly-tougher border to cross, naturalization and citizenship for almost all of the 12 million illegal aliens, and a guest-worker program with more protections for the "guests" than natural-born workers.

Sorry to say that it sure looks like much the same to me.

[Alter Kaker]

Grouped By Vote Position YEAs ---56 Akaka (D-HI) Baucus (D-MT) Bayh (D-IN) Bennett (R-UT) Biden (D-DE) Bingaman (D-NM) Bond (R-MO) Brownback (R-KS) Cantwell (D-WA) Carper (D-DE) Chafee (R-RI) Clinton (D-NY) Coleman (R-MN) Collins (R-ME) Craig (R-ID) Dayton (D-MN) DeWine (R-OH) Dodd (D-CT) Domenici (R-NM) Durbin (D-IL) Feingold (D-WI) Feinstein (D-CA) Graham (R-SC) Hagel (R-NE) Harkin (D-IA) Inouye (D-HI) Jeffords (I-VT) Johnson (D-SD) Kennedy (D-MA) Kerry (D-MA) Kohl (D-WI) Landrieu (D-LA) Lautenberg (D-NJ) Leahy (D-VT) Levin (D-MI) Lieberman (D-CT) Lugar (R-IN) Martinez (R-FL) McCain (R-AZ) Menendez (D-NJ) Mikulski (D-MD) Murkowski (R-AK) Murray (D-WA) Nelson (D-FL) Obama (D-IL) Reed (D-RI) Reid (D-NV) Sarbanes (D-MD) Schumer (D-NY) Snowe (R-ME) Specter (R-PA) Stabenow (D-MI) Stevens (R-AK) Voinovich (R-OH) Warner (R-VA) Wyden (D-OR)

NAYs ---41 Alexander (R-TN) Allard (R-CO) Allen (R-VA) Bunning (R-KY) Burns (R-MT) Burr (R-NC) Byrd (D-WV) Chambliss (R-GA) Coburn (R-OK) Cochran (R-MS) Conrad (D-ND) Cornyn (R-TX) Crapo (R-ID) DeMint (R-SC) Dole (R-NC) Dorgan (D-ND) Ensign (R-NV) Enzi (R-WY) Frist (R-TN) Grassley (R-IA) Gregg (R-NH) Hatch (R-UT) Hutchison (R-TX) Inhofe (R-OK) Isakson (R-GA) Kyl (R-AZ) Lincoln (D-AR) Lott (R-MS) McConnell (R-KY) Nelson (D-NE) Pryor (D-AR) Roberts (R-KS) Santorum (R-PA) Sessions (R-AL) Shelby (R-AL) Smith (R-OR) Sununu (R-NH) Talent (R-MO) Thomas (R-WY) Thune (R-SD) Vitter (R-LA) Present - 1 Boxer (D-CA) Not Voting - 2 Rockefeller (D-WV) Salazar (D-CO)

[PRND21]

Nothing near this bad would have EVER come out of a democratic controlled congress

False.

[RetiredArmy]

10-4 on the "idiots on capital hill" response. that is my personal opinion of everyone within the beltway in an elected or selected position. Not any of the guys or gals in uniform of course. Just the suits.

[Alter Kaker]

An easier to read format:

Alphabetical by Senator Name

Akaka (D-HI), Yea Alexander (R-TN), Nay Allard (R-CO), Nay Allen (R-VA), Nay Baucus (D-MT), Yea Bayh (D-IN), Yea Bennett (R-UT), Yea Biden (D-DE), Yea Bingaman (D-NM), Yea Bond (R-MO), Yea Boxer (D-CA), Present Brownback (R-KS), Yea Bunning (R-KY), Nay Burns (R-MT), Nay Burr (R-NC), Nay Byrd (D-WV), Nay Cantwell (D-WA), Yea Carper (D-DE), Yea Chafee (R-RI), Yea Chambliss (R-GA), Nay Clinton (D-NY), Yea Coburn (R-OK), Nay Cochran (R-MS), Nay Coleman (R-MN), Yea Collins (R-ME), Yea Conrad (D-ND), Nay Cornyn (R-TX), Nay Craig (R-ID), Yea Crapo (R-ID), Nay Dayton (D-MN), Yea DeMint (R-SC), Nay DeWine (R-OH), Yea Dodd (D-CT), Yea Dole (R-NC), Nay

Domenici (R-NM), Yea Dorgan (D-ND), Nay Durbin (D-IL), Yea Ensign (R-NV), Nay Enzi (R-WY), Nay Feingold (D-WI), Yea Feinstein (D-CA), Yea Frist (R-TN), Nay Graham (R-SC), Yea Grassley (R-IA), Nay Gregg (R-NH), Nay Hagel (R-NE), Yea Harkin (D-IA), Yea Hatch (R-UT), Nay Hutchison (R-TX), Nay Inhofe (R-OK), Nay Inouye (D-HI), Yea Isakson (R-GA), Nay Jeffords (I-VT), Yea Johnson (D-SD), Yea Kennedy (D-MA), Yea Kerry (D-MA), Yea Kohl (D-WI), Yea Kyl (R-AZ), Nay Landrieu (D-LA), Yea Lautenberg (D-NJ), Yea Leahy (D-VT), Yea Levin (D-MI), Yea Lieberman (D-CT), Yea Lincoln (D-AR), Nay Lott (R-MS), Nay Lugar (R-IN), Yea Martinez (R-FL), Yea McCain (R-AZ), Yea

McConnell (R-KY), Nay Menendez (D-NJ), Yea Mikulski (D-MD), Yea Murkowski (R-AK), Yea Murray (D-WA), Yea Nelson (D-FL), Yea Nelson (D-NE), Nay Obama (D-IL), Yea Pryor (D-AR), Nay Reed (D-RI), Yea Reid (D-NV), Yea Roberts (R-KS), Nay Rockefeller (D-WV), Not Voting Salazar (D-CO), Not Voting Santorum (R-PA), Nay Sarbanes (D-MD), Yea Schumer (D-NY), Yea Sessions (R-AL), Nay Shelby (R-AL), Nay Smith (R-OR), Nay Snowe (R-ME), Yea Specter (R-PA), Yea Stabenow (D-MI), Yea Stevens (R-AK), Yea Sununu (R-NH), Nay Talent (R-MO), Nay Thomas (R-WY), Nay Thune (R-SD), Nay Vitter (R-LA), Nay Voinovich (R-OH), Yea Warner (R-VA), Yea Wyden (D-OR), Yea

Vote Summary

By Senator Name

By Vote Position

By Home State

Grouped By Vote Position

YEAs ---56
Akaka (D-HI) Baucus (D-MT) Bayh (D-IN) Bennett (R-UT) Biden (D-DE) Bingaman (D-NM) Bond (R-MO) Brownback (R-KS) Cantwell (D-WA) Carper (D-DE) Chafee (R-RI) Clinton (D-NY) Coleman (R-MN) Collins (R-ME) Craig (R-ID) Dayton (D-MN) DeWine (R-OH) Dodd (D-CT) Domenici (R-NM)	Durbin (D-IL) Feingold (D-WI) Feinstein (D-CA) Graham (R-SC) Hagel (R-NE) Harkin (D-IA) Inouye (D-HI) Jeffords (I-VT) Johnson (D-SD) Kennedy (D-MA) Kerry (D-MA) Kohl (D-WI) Landrieu (D-LA) Lautenberg (D-NJ) Leahy (D-VT) Levin (D-MI) Lieberman (D-CT) Lugar (R-IN) Martinez (R-FL)	McCain (R-AZ) Menendez (D-NJ) Mikulski (D-MD) Murkowski (R-AK) Murray (D-WA) Nelson (D-FL) Obama (D-IL) Reed (D-RI) Reid (D-NV) Sarbanes (D-MD) Schumer (D-NY) Snowe (R-ME) Specter (R-PA) Stabenow (D-MI) Stevens (R-AK) Voinovich (R-OH) Warner (R-VA) Wyden (D-OR)

NAYs ---41
Alexander (R-TN) Allard (R-CO) Allen (R-VA) Bunning (R-KY) Burns (R-MT) Burr (R-NC) Byrd (D-WV) Chambliss (R-GA) Coburn (R-OK) Cochran (R-MS) Conrad (D-ND) Cornyn (R-TX) Crapo (R-ID) DeMint (R-SC)	Dole (R-NC) Dorgan (D-ND) Ensign (R-NV) Enzi (R-WY) Frist (R-TN) Grassley (R-IA) Gregg (R-NH) Hatch (R-UT) Hutchison (R-TX) Inhofe (R-OK) Isakson (R-GA) Kyl (R-AZ) Lincoln (D-AR) Lott (R-MS)	McConnell (R-KY) Nelson (D-NE) Pryor (D-AR) Roberts (R-KS) Santorum (R-PA) Sessions (R-AL) Shelby (R-AL) Smith (R-OR) Sununu (R-NH) Talent (R-MO) Thomas (R-WY) Thune (R-SD) Vitter (R-LA)

Present - 1
Boxer (D-CA)

Not Voting - 2
Rockefeller (D-WV)	Salazar (D-CO)

Vote Summary

By Senator Name

By Vote Position

By Home State

Grouped by Home State

Alabama:	Sessions (R-AL), Nay	Shelby (R-AL), Nay
Alaska:	Murkowski (R-AK), Yea	Stevens (R-AK), Yea
Arizona:	Kyl (R-AZ), Nay	McCain (R-AZ), Yea
Arkansas:	Lincoln (D-AR), Nay	Pryor (D-AR), Nay
California:	Boxer (D-CA), Present	Feinstein (D-CA), Yea
Colorado:	Allard (R-CO), Nay	Salazar (D-CO), Not Voting
Connecticut:	Dodd (D-CT), Yea	Lieberman (D-CT), Yea
Delaware:	Biden (D-DE), Yea	Carper (D-DE), Yea
Florida:	Martinez (R-FL), Yea	Nelson (D-FL), Yea
Georgia:	Chambliss (R-GA), Nay	Isakson (R-GA), Nay
Hawaii:	Akaka (D-HI), Yea	Inouye (D-HI), Yea
Idaho:	Craig (R-ID), Yea	Crapo (R-ID), Nay
Illinois:	Durbin (D-IL), Yea	Obama (D-IL), Yea
Indiana:	Bayh (D-IN), Yea	Lugar (R-IN), Yea
Iowa:	Grassley (R-IA), Nay	Harkin (D-IA), Yea
Kansas:	Brownback (R-KS), Yea	Roberts (R-KS), Nay
Kentucky:	Bunning (R-KY), Nay	McConnell (R-KY), Nay
Louisiana:	Landrieu (D-LA), Yea	Vitter (R-LA), Nay
Maine:	Collins (R-ME), Yea	Snowe (R-ME), Yea
Maryland:	Mikulski (D-MD), Yea	Sarbanes (D-MD), Yea
Massachusetts:	Kennedy (D-MA), Yea	Kerry (D-MA), Yea
Michigan:	Levin (D-MI), Yea	Stabenow (D-MI), Yea
Minnesota:	Coleman (R-MN), Yea	Dayton (D-MN), Yea
Mississippi:	Cochran (R-MS), Nay	Lott (R-MS), Nay
Missouri:	Bond (R-MO), Yea	Talent (R-MO), Nay
Montana:	Baucus (D-MT), Yea	Burns (R-MT), Nay
Nebraska:	Hagel (R-NE), Yea	Nelson (D-NE), Nay
Nevada:	Ensign (R-NV), Nay	Reid (D-NV), Yea
New Hampshire:	Gregg (R-NH), Nay	Sununu (R-NH), Nay
New Jersey:	Lautenberg (D-NJ), Yea	Menendez (D-NJ), Yea
New Mexico:	Bingaman (D-NM), Yea	Domenici (R-NM), Yea
New York:	Clinton (D-NY), Yea	Schumer (D-NY), Yea
North Carolina:	Burr (R-NC), Nay	Dole (R-NC), Nay
North Dakota:	Conrad (D-ND), Nay	Dorgan (D-ND), Nay
Ohio:	DeWine (R-OH), Yea	Voinovich (R-OH), Yea
Oklahoma:	Coburn (R-OK), Nay	Inhofe (R-OK), Nay
Oregon:	Smith (R-OR), Nay	Wyden (D-OR), Yea
Pennsylvania:	Santorum (R-PA), Nay	Specter (R-PA), Yea
Rhode Island:	Chafee (R-RI), Yea	Reed (D-RI), Yea
South Carolina:	DeMint (R-SC), Nay	Graham (R-SC), Yea
South Dakota:	Johnson (D-SD), Yea	Thune (R-SD), Nay
Tennessee:	Alexander (R-TN), Nay	Frist (R-TN), Nay
Texas:	Cornyn (R-TX), Nay	Hutchison (R-TX), Nay
Utah:	Bennett (R-UT), Yea	Hatch (R-UT), Nay
Vermont:	Jeffords (I-VT), Yea	Leahy (D-VT), Yea
Virginia:	Allen (R-VA), Nay	Warner (R-VA), Yea
Washington:	Cantwell (D-WA), Yea	Murray (D-WA), Yea
West Virginia:	Byrd (D-WV), Nay	Rockefeller (D-WV), Not Voting
Wisconsin:	Feingold (D-WI), Yea	Kohl (D-WI), Yea
Wyoming:	Enzi (R-WY), Nay	Thomas (R-WY), Nay

Vote Summary

By Senator Name

By Vote Position

By Home State

	Find out about congressional voting with this How to guide.

	Use this guide to help you find the full text of recent bills and resolutions on the Web, or order them from the Senate or House Document Rooms, or you can find them in a library.

[soccer_maniac]

Lou Dobbs said that the Senate added a last minute provision to their bill, requiring consultation with Mexico before building a fence on the southern border.

[Mo1]

Compared to what ALL is in that stupid Senate Bill .. the temporary guest workers program is the least of our problems and the President didn't suggest putting all those things in that bill

[goalinestan]

T R A I T O R S

[Shermy]

Well, closer than I thought it would be.

"Present" for Boxer - she couldn't sign on to this travesty?

[Texas_Jarhead]

S.2611 sacrifices America's future for politics and expediency.

[cardinal4]

Bond (R-MO), Yea

*Sigh*..

[VOA]

Pick your worst 3 out of 5 years' income, and file for those years only!

The years you could claim the largest Earned Income Tax Credits...

[Mrs. Darla Ruth Schwerin]

The Sinning Senators ride again...

[ZGuy]

Here's a concise list of [insert your favorite epithet here]s :

Bennett R-UT
Brownback R-KS
Chafee R-RI
Coleman R-MN
Collins R-ME
Craig R-ID
DeWine R-OH
Domenici R-NM
Graham R-SC
Hagel R-NE
Lugar R-IN
Martinez R-FL
McCain R-AZ
Murkowski R-AK
Snowe R-ME
Specter R-PA
Stevens R-AK
Voinovich R-OH
Warner R-VA

[libertyline]

They had control for decades...and nothing this bad ever came out. So...not false but...

TRUE!

[stuck_in_new_orleans]

is this it? does it go the the pres's desk now?