Posted on 06/07/2007 6:42:49 PM PDT by UB355
Immigration Bill Fails Crucial Test Vote Email this Story
Jun 7, 9:24 PM (ET)
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WASHINGTON (AP) - A broad immigration bill to legalize millions of people in the U.S. unlawfully failed a crucial test vote in the Senate Thursday, a stunning setback that could spell its defeat for the year.
The vote was 45-50 against limiting debate on the bill, 15 short of the 60 that the bill's supporters needed to prevail. Most Republicans voted to block Democrats' efforts to bring the bill to a final vote.
The legislation, which had been endorsed by President Bush, would tighten borders, institute a new system to prevent employers from hiring undocumented workers in addition to giving up to 12 million illegal immigrants a pathway to legal status.
Conceived by an improbable coalition that nicknamed the deal a "grand bargain," the measure exposed deep rifts within both parties and is loathed by most GOP conservatives.
Senate Majority Harry Reid, D-Nev., who had made no secret of his distaste for parts of the bill, said earlier he would move on to other matters if the immigration measure's supporters didn't get 60 votes Thursday night.
The defeat set off a bitter round of partisan recriminations, with Democrats and Republicans each accusing the other of killing it.
Most Republicans voted against ending debate, saying they needed more time to make the bill tougher with tighter border security measures and a more arduous legalization process for unlawful immigrants.
All but a handful of Democrats supported the move, but they, too, were holding their noses at provisions of the bill. Many of them argued it makes second-class citizens of a new crop of temporary workers and rips apart families by prioritizing employability over blood ties in future immigration.
Still, they had argued that the measure, on balance, was worth advancing.
"We can all find different aspects of this legislation that we differ with," said Sen. Edward M. Kennedy of Massachusetts, the leading Democratic architect of the bill.
Reid, who had made no secret of his distaste for parts of the bill, quickly pulled it from the floor and moved on to other business, costing the measure perhaps its best chance at enactment.
He insisted that the immigration bill is not dead for the year. "I, even though disappointed, look forward to passing this bill," Reid said.
Well I guess we can count on some more illegal immigrant street theatre in coming days.
He insisted that the immigration bill is not dead for the year.
Sen. Arlen Specter, R-Pa., second from left, speaks about immigration reform during a news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington, Thursday, June 7, 2007. From left are, Sen. Mel Martinez, R-Fla., obscured, Specter, Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C. and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell of Ky. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)
YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!
On to step 2: Getting rid of every republican senotor that supported this complete POS.
The roll call vote is now posted.
Try search much?
Ha,ha,friggin Graham’s crying !!!
I thought I Heard him say (on the radio, from the senate floor) that it would not be brought back next session or next year.
Great. Now we need to kill HR 1022 (AWB renewal) and then simply use the solution on ILLEGAL (the fact I feel the need to emphasis that word represents a large part of the problem) immigration everyone but the politicians want: Enforce the EXISTING Laws.
However, doing the right thing and enforcing the existing laws will NOT lead to the following. This may be what is really irking the politicians:
1. Expansion of government agencies
2. Expansion of government unions
3. Cries for yet MORE agencies to assist and study the new agencies.
4. Demands for more agencies and “blue ribbon panels’ to study the agencies that are studying the agencies.
I’d go on, but the Monty Python reference would be overdone.
Once this bill is behind us (and hopefully it will be) somebody needs to inform the President that the republican website http://www.gop.com has not seen much of an update since before the 2006 election. There are even Bush vs Kerry videos being featured still.
Has the GOP replaced Melhman(sp) yet?
Something needs to change soon!
I just want to Thank the American People for putting the heat on these Congressman and Senators to kill this bill.
Now we have to make sure they are forced to enforce the immigration laws we have on the books Now and to deport people that are here illegally.
Let’s keep our on on these politicians to make sure they don’t slip it by us.
What this means to me is that there still could be more pork added to this bill to persuade more Dims or RINOs to vote for it. Question is, how much more are the Dims willing to steal from the American people for the sake of another huge class of victims or how far are the Dims willing to go to embarass President Bush?
Thanks you Sue Collins and Olympia Snowe!
Chalk this up to lots of PO’d voters. I hope that those that supported this travesty don’t think that the bill’s failure will get them off the hook.
O.K., I see Reid voted yes for cloture. I saw earlier today that the only way a cloture vote can be rebrought back up is if Reid voted on a losing roll call. If that is true, is this really really dead and if not how does it get back to the floor or does it start all over again? Anyone know that answer?
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