Posted on 06/14/2007 3:55:45 PM PDT by Alaphiah123
Key senators tentatively agreed on a plan to revive a stalled immigration bill on Thursday, aided by President Bush's support for a quick $4.4 billion aimed at "securing our borders and enforcing our laws at the work site."
Officials who spoke on condition of anonymity said Republican and Democratic supporters of the bill were presenting their proposal to the Senate's top two leaders, who in turn arranged an early evening meeting to discuss it.
Precise details to be presented to Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., were not disclosed.
In general, according to officials familiar with the discussions, Republicans and Democrats would each be accorded roughly a dozen chances to amend the measure, with the hope that they would then combine to provide the 60 votes needed to overcome a filibuster by die-hard opponents. The officials who described the emerging plan did so on condition of anonymity, saying the negotiations had been conducted in private.
The legislation has generated intense controversy, particularly for provisions envisioning eventual citizenship for many of the estimated 12 million immigrants now in the country unlawfully. The bill also calls for greater border security and a crackdown on the hiring of illegal employees.
"We're going to show the American people that the promises in this bill will be kept," Bush said, two days after launching a personal rescue mission.
Any agreement is subject to approval by Reid, who has said repeatedly it is up to Bush and Republicans to line up the votes needed to advance the measure if it is to be brought back to the Senate for debate. Reid, who has expressed misgivings about elements of the bill, sidetracked it last week after supporters gained only 45 of the 60 votes needed.
Republicans accounted for only seven of the 45 votes, and Reid said earlier this week, "We'll move on to immigration when they have their own act together."
Bush's decision to personally announce support for the accelerated funding reflected concerns expressed by Republican senators at a closed-door meeting on Tuesday. Several told him their constituents doubted the government was capable of following through on a commitment to enforce immigration laws.
In a letter sent to Bush before the meeting, Georgia Republican Sens. Saxby Chambliss and Johnny Isakson wrote, "This lack of trust is rooted in the mistakes made in 1986, and the continued chaos surrounding our immigration laws. Understandably, the lack of credibility the federal government has on this issue gives merit to the skepticism of many about future immigration reform."
Under the legislation as drafted, money for border enforcement would be collected gradually as illegal immigrants pay the fines and fees needed to achieve legal status. The letter asked Bush to secure the border before other elements of the immigration measure go into effect, and the president agreed in his remarks to the Associated Builders and Contractors.
"One common concern is whether the government will provide the resources to meet the goals in the bill. They say, 'It's fine to talk about it, are you actually going to do something?'" he said.
"To answer these concerns I support an amendment that will provide $4.4 billion in immediate additional funding for securing our borders and enforcing our laws at the work site," he said.
"By matching our benchmarks with these critical funds, we're going to show the American people that the promises in this bill will be kept."
Two Republican supporters of the legislation, Sens. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina and Jon Kyl of Arizona, had previously proposed advanced funding.
"The moment the presidential signing pen meets the paper these funds will be available," Graham said in a statement welcoming Bush's remarks.
But Sen. Jim DeMint, R-S.C., an opponent of the legislation, took a different view. "I appreciate the effort to fund border security, but there's simply no reason why we should be forced to tie amnesty to it. If the administration was serious about fulfilling the border security promises, then this funding should have been supported all along, not offered at the last minute to attract votes to a bad bill."
Even a decision to return the bill to the Senate floor does not guarantee its passage, given the intense opposition. "We've got people out there on both sides really ready to burn the place down," said Sen. Trent Lott of Mississippi, the second-ranking Republican. "I don't think we ought to let that happen."
The calendar, too, presents obstacles to any attempt to pass the measure before the Senate begins a scheduled vacation in two weeks. Should they choose, critics of the immigration measure could slow progress on other measures Reid wants debated in the next two weeks. The effect would be to further reduce prospects for passage of the immigration bill.
Yeah, but we’re fighting terrorists “over there,” so we don’t have fight them “over here.”
What’s the point if they can walk through the !@#$*&^ unlocked front door?!
We, collectively as a nation, have been had.
If I were a House member there would be NO WAY that I could possibly not vote to impeach GWB. But he will never be impeached, for he is the Democrats’ best arsenal.
Yeah we know all about those conservative/republicans in Arizona, you know Kyl and McCain..by the way historically hispanics vote democrat 2 to 1 over republican.
Terrible analogy, unless you are going to tell me right here and now that you have ten illegal aliens living in your house, tonight. Do you? Or are you just another hypocrite, happy to extend OUR tax dollars to YOUR pet social causes?
BTW, are you on shifts in Tony Snow's Blog War Room, or are you just cranking up the Latte machine during the Shamnesty Battle?
If they want change, they should stay home and fight for meaningful change.
I’ve been calling Senators and all of their mailboxes are full. Email is our only hope at this point . They think we’ll forget and forgive and that won’t happen . The Republicans are already out of power to begin with, so we have nothing to lose by voting them out in the primaries .
I wish McConnell would put a stop to this .
"By matching our benchmarks with these critical funds, we're going to show the American people that the promises in this bill will be kept."
I appreciate that they wish to keep promises, but why do we need an Amendment to enforce and fund the current laws?
Show me the money.
Who supports the entitlement programs that will keep the illegals afloat? Hint: Not the Republicans.
To think that anything more than a handful of former illegal aliens are going to turn into reliable Republican voters is nothing short of insanity.
Because he screws things up with alarming frequency?
Damn. Excellent!
Your competitors who hire illegals are scum.
I still wonder, if they are such hard-workers then how come their country is a dump?
If they are Catholic, then why do they not abide the admonition to “render unto Ceasar” and obey the law in regards to entering the United States?
it's your perception that is narrow. You sound like you work for the White House. Give me a break. Many of us are steeped in history and have covered this issue. You are absolutely mistaken if you think the 2nd/3rd generation of the current illegals will vote Rep. They will not. I can't recall off hand, but I believe Sowell addressed this elitist absurdity. Our Republic is about to be destroyed by willful acts of our vile leaders. Come back in 40 years and see how your ridiculous dream world fantasy compares to reality.
Just because I disagree with him on an issue does not mean that I would give the liberals the satisfaction of impeaching a Republican.
Most likely, we are going to have to deal with immigration. But I honestly would like to try to fund and enforce the laws on the books now and then see what we have to do with the illegals. Hopefully, they would go home, but I doubt it somehow.
I think a lot of folks feel we should fund the fence and enforce the laws, then fix illegal immigration. But for some reason these politicians want to address this issue now.
I think we stand our grand and fight, but I am not willing to burn W at the stake after we kick his arse.
I don't understand why we need an amendment to enforce and fund the current laws. Just do it.
Show me the money.
Very well stated. I just received this from Sen Elizabeth Dole in email — she is on the side of Inhofe and Sessions. Looks like she doesn’t trust the NRSC for donations or the Bush folks:
Dear friend,
When it comes to amnesty for illegal aliens, I’ve never paused, hesitated or stammered – I say I’m flat out opposed to it!
I opposed amnesty when I ran for the U.S. Senate in 2002. I fought to defeat the amnesty bill that passed the Senate in 2006. I fought tooth and nail to take down the amnesty bill that ultimately failed on Thursday.
In fact, I cast the deciding procedural vote Wednesday night that ultimately broke up the coalition of Senators who were trying to ram this bill through the Senate. (click to read article).
The immigration problem indeed raises many tough questions – and I am certain that the bill Harry Reid was finally forced to pull off the Senate floor Thursday night is NOT the answer.
This legislation put the cart ahead of the horse. It rushed to legalize millions of illegal aliens – that is NOT the urgent matter at hand. We must deal with the real crisis and first focus on securing our borders and enforcing our laws. We are a nation of laws – it’s time we act like it!
Up to a million illegal aliens cross the porous southern border each year.
No immigration reform legislation will succeed – not even good reform (which the Kennedy bill was NOT) – unless our borders are secure.
For decades, Americans have been promised a secure border, but it hasn’t happened. Consider the recent legislation that authorized 700 miles of fencing – astoundingly, just TWO miles have been constructed!
Americans are rightly cynical about any promises to secure the border.
My parameters are simple: One, we must secure the border. Two, we must enforce the laws already on the books and empower law enforcement officials to do their jobs enforcing them. Then and only then we can take up immigration reform.
I must be honest with you, many of my colleagues in Congress disagree with me. And President Bush disagrees with me.
The Democrats have promised to soon bring this bad bill back to the Senate floor, and the Democrats are planning a major political assault on me for my opposition. They will use this to try to hurt me in the upcoming election.
Be assured, I will stand firmly against this bill. I don’t care what the political pundits, the media, or the liberals say or think – because I reject the notion that granting amnesty to millions of illegal aliens will solve our country’s out of control immigration problem. I can wage this fight as long as I know you are standing with me.
Please let me know I can count on you:
Please use this contribution button to help my campaign fight back against the attacks that are sure to come.
[See the attached file]
Thank you so much for your help and support – and thank you for your commitment to a safer, more prosperous America.
Sincerely:
[See the attached file]
Elizabeth Dole
U. S. Senator
Pull the US military from the Middle East and put them on the border. What’s the sense in fighting a WOT in Iraq when our own border is not secured?
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