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.
Anyone have the wording of this scam...I mean bill that the....passed?
We expect certain nightmare bills from the party of nightmares the libs BUT for (R) to do this and side with the liberals well what can one say?
Not all (R) Senators were stupid but there were enough to help the libs, one can only ask why even tho they are rino's would they vote with libs?
"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."
Egads. Will they tell us to tear down the one already there?
Lets take the spin out of this statement.
A later trip dog and pony show, photo op to Arizona was designed to reassure fool conservatives about his commitment to stanching illegal immigration.
My understanding is that part of the Senate "negotiations" relating to this bill was that the Senate conferees would be agreed upon before the final vote on passage of S.2611.
I thought the vote was 62-36.
Gee... Greggy another person heard it also..
If true, these Senators really and truly are traitors. War-time traitors I might add.
Yep. Every cloud has a silver lining. I'm starting to feel the love...
Every Senator who voted for this should be voted the hell out of office.
To: Alter Kaker
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
Add the name of Bill Frist. He may not have voted for the bill but it would not or could not have happened without the Leader of the Senate's help.
DeWine is the one standout on this list-- he is vulnerable this November, but it's not like his liberal opponent Brown would have voted against it.
Thanks! That Update looks great!
So in other words, a Bush veto threat would have signficantly altered this bill.
Senators = Brain Surgeons apparently
Thanks for the Senate vote link,,I had to step out for a bit..
That is the Specter amendment, not the final bill passage which was 62 - 36.
The final bill passage hasn't been update to the Senate web site yet.
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