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.
Then I shall revive my outrage. If they think I am going away after the initial victory they are crazy.
I hope everyone here is on board for the long fight.
My phone and email will once again be busy....here we go!
Thank you, Sen. DeMint, for declaring what thinking citizens everywhere know.
The elitists in Washington believe we're going to swallow this last-ditch attempt to force shamnesty down our throats. They really have contempt for us.
Now he wants to toss the rulebook?
If only the immigration laws had been consistently enforced for the past six years ,the numbers of illegals would be much smaller AND I might actually believe Bush .
He has shown himself arrogant and paternalistic,plus obviously feels not bound by his oath to "preserve,protect,and defend".
Perhaps it is not only the Republicans that should be calling for impeachment ?
Is there any doubt?
“The moment the presidential signing pen meets the paper these funds will be available”
The mopment the Presidential signing pen meets the paper, amensty will be a reality.
Done. Returned their “census” suitably annotated too.
As you said, along with the medical and social services? The administration must think we're morons. With no memories.
We have a F'in Problem!!!
That says it all about Frist. If Sen Don Nickles had been named to lead the GOP in the Senate, we wouldn't have had this problem. Frist was spineless when it came to immigration and his backdoor deals to take out Nickles and replace Lott stunk. I have no respect for Frist or Rove and the games they play, and now the President when it comes to Immigration.
Not in you FRiend. I just hope that the ‘average Joe’ doesn’t get tired of taking it to the border traitors.
sw
Yawn, my ass!
How many here are so sick of the status quo, they are willing to go libertarian, constitution, anything but dem/rep?
I will not vote for anyone backing this, period.
>> Precise details to be presented to Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., were not disclosed.
No aspect of this issue should be discussed behind closed doors. Any part, motivation, or deal that cannot be vetted in open view is suspect and reinforces the conviction of the bill’s opposition; this unseemly immigration initiative is being executed despite the interests of the U.S. citizen.
We the people of the United States appeal to God and the souls of our Founding Fathers for divine intervention to mend the processes that are degrading our liberties and representation.
Spineless SOB’s !!
The interesting thing to consider is that there were more Democrat defectors on this Bill than there were Republicans.
Can Dingy Harry reign in his corrupt gang of holdouts with pork??
“We the people of the United States appeal to God and the souls of our Founding Fathers for divine intervention to mend the processes that are degrading our liberties and representation.”
Amen
I think the problem is that there has been so much fear of the impeachment process that there is no fear of impeachment by those in political office.
A review of history will find plenty of elected officials doing their best ,or is it their worst, to ignore the Constitution and Bill of Rights.
What would happen in a company that had an employee who refuses to do the job,or follow its rules ,and the owners could only consider his poor performance on the day of his annual review ?
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