Immigration deal survives GOP threat (barring felons amendment fails, rival amendment passes 66-32)

AP on Yahoo ^ | 6/6/07 | Julie Hirschfeld Davis - ap

[NormsRevenge]

WASHINGTON - A bipartisan immigration bill narrowly survived a potentially fatal challenge on Wednesday when the Senate turned back a Republican bid to limit the illegal immigrants who could gain lawful status.

The close vote on a proposal by Sen. John Cornyn (news, bio, voting record), R-Texas, to bar felons — including those court-ordered to be deported — from legalization reflected the delicate position of the contentious immigration bill, which remains under threat from the right and the left.

The vote was 51-46 against the amendment. Democrats succeeded in sucking support from Cornyn's proposal by winning adoption of a rival version that would bar a more limited set of criminals, including certain gang members and sex offenders, from gaining legalization. The Senate backed that amendment 66-32.

Cornyn had painted his effort as a key vote for any presidential candidate — a sign of the degree to which the contentious debate is bleeding over into the GOP campaign fray.

The amendment "is a defining issue for those who seek the highest office in the land to demonstrate their respect for the rule of law and to demonstrate their desire to return law and order to our immigration system," Cornyn said.

Sen. John McCain (news, bio, voting record), R-Ariz., alone among his party's presidential aspirants in backing the immigration measure, opposed Cornyn's bid and backed the Democratic alternative offered by Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, D-Mass.

Sen. Charles Schumer (news, bio, voting record), D-N.Y., called Cornyn's measure "a stealth, Trojan horse amendment to kill the bill."

Kennedy, an architect of the bill, said it "would exclude hundreds of thousands from the benefits in this bill and undermine the bipartisan compromise that (senators) worked so long and so hard to produce."

[mewzilla]

Now they’ve done it....

[NonValueAdded]

“OMG,” said the RATs, “we just got the vote for felons in Florida, now you want to send them home??? Oh no you don’t.”

[Spruce]

Just kill this POS already!!!

[paddles]

Wow. I keep hearing from conservatives like Freddy "The Beetle" Barnes that this is a good bill.

Now I find out it doesn't bar felons from legalization?

WTFO?

[NormsRevenge]

The close vote on a proposal by Sen. John Cornyn (news, bio, voting record), R-Texas, to bar felons — including those court-ordered to be deported — from legalization reflected the delicate position of the contentious immigration bill, which remains under threat from the right and the left.

The vote was 51-46 against the amendment. Democrats succeeded in sucking support from Cornyn's proposal by winning adoption of a rival version that would bar a more limited set of criminals, including certain gang members and sex offenders, from gaining legalization. The Senate backed that amendment 66-32.

Sen. Edward Kennedy, D-Mass., left, and Janet Murguia from the National Council of La Raza, take part in a news conference on immigration reform, Tuesday, June 5, 2007, on Capitol Hill in Washington. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)

[LIConFem]

"...The close vote on a proposal by Sen. John Cornyn (news, bio, voting record), R-Texas, to bar felons — including those court-ordered to be deported — from legalization reflected the delicate position of the contentious immigration bill, ..."

How this manages to be a bone of contention is beyond me. I mean, who in their right mind is actually in favor of allowing felons to become legal?

[NeoCaveman]

Treason, pure and simple.

[CheyennePress]

Who are these people running my country, and WHAT do they stand for?

If the Republicans had any principle whatsoever, if we had a President who was worth the dirt on the soles of my shoes, we would be crucifying the Democrats over this measure. Endlessly. Relentlessly. Mercilessly.

How does an amendment like this get defeated? What kind of ANIMAL votes against this? I’m furious. Beyond furious.

It’s about pitchfork time.

[SoFloFreeper]

Democrats succeeded in sucking...

Best line in the article.

[NormsRevenge]

who in their right mind is actually in favor of allowing felons to become legal?

—

See Post #6 and the pic.. for starters. :-}

[steve8714]

Claire”I’m Independent” McCaskill voted for the Kennedy amendment. Jean Jr.

[Hazcat]

I’m telling y’all, this pig is gonna pass. Then what do we do.

Is it time yet to use that ‘third box’?

[freekitty]

Kennedy sure must hate America. He is so guilty. I can’t imagine how a person that let a girl die is allowed to destruct America.

[Lurker]

Sen. John McCain (news, bio, voting record), R-Ariz., ... opposed Cornyn's bid and backed the Democratic alternative offered by Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, D-Mass.

If there was ever any doubt that McCain is a screaming liberal, it was removed today.

This man has no business anywhere near the White House except maybe as a tourist and then under very strict adult supervision.

So the question for McCain at the next debate is "Senator why did you oppose denying felons amnesty thereby putting American citizens at risk?"

L

[mysterio]

Anyone got the Yea/Nay list?

[ANGGAPO]

It’s hard to believe but the Democrats and the RINO’s are going to sell our country to Mexico.

[LIConFem]

Why am I not shocked?

[RasterMaster]

"Sen. John McCain (news, bio, voting record), R-Ariz., alone among his party's presidential aspirants in backing the immigration measure, opposed Cornyn's bid and backed the Democratic alternative offered by Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, D-Mass."

See my tagline....

[hunter112]

Notice the BS liberal media spin--"...a sign of the degree to which the contentious debate is bleeding over into the GOP campaign fray."

In my opinion, this issue is livening up the Republican campaign! Time to see who's on our side, and who is not.