Rare Tactic May Allow Immigration Votes

The Washington Post ^ | June 18, 2007 | JULIE HIRSCHFELD DAVIS

[Baladas]

WASHINGTON -- Only in the arcane world of the U.S. Senate could a quirky gambit known as a "clay pigeon" make the difference between passage of an important immigration measure and its death at the hands of opponents.

Democratic leaders hope the complex maneuver _ which makes use of the Senate's labyrinthine rules to insist on votes on amendments _ will frustrate conservatives' attempts to derail the embattled immigration bill, instead putting it on a fast track to passage next week.

Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., said he would revive the bill to legalize as many as 12 million unlawful immigrants late this week. To do so, though, he needs backing from 60 senators, and a way to guarantee votes on a tentative list of 22 Republican and Democratic amendments whose consideration is seen as vital to satisfying key waverers.

The tactic gets its name from the target used in skeet shooting, which explodes into bits as it is hit. In the Senate, an amendment is the target, and any one senator can demand that it be divided into separate fragments to be voted on piecemeal.

Under the tentative plan, Reid as early as Friday would launch his target _ an amendment encompassing all 22 proposals _ and shoot it into its component pieces. The Senate would then vote on ending debate on the immigration measure, which would take 60 votes and limit discussion of the bill to 30 more hours. After that interval, all 22 amendments would have to be voted on, with little opportunity for foes to interfere.

Ironically, the move is usually used by mavericks _ not leaders _ to slow down legislation, not free it from a procedural thicket.

[AuntB]

I don’t know either, I’ve never seen it used.

[Elyse]

Write all the casinos in Nevada and tell them you won’t set foot in them as long as the state of Nevada has a traitor representing them and a sleaze bag senator who is attempting to destroy our nation.

Well, have you been to any Nevada casinos lately? This is just my guess, but I think the very large ratio of casino employees that don't hablo English will be a bigger reason for the sleaze bag casino owners to continue to back the sleaze bag senator.

As for the letter writing campaign, they will just add you to their spam list and once a month you will recieve a $50 free chip coupon with a "stay 2 nights get one night free" special at their hotel. :P

[rodguy911]

Wy does Reid need 60 instead of 51? Is GW going to block this?

[Gritty]

[JOAT]

ping

[Tennessee Nana]

That’s the one I always use

Just left messages for Alexander and Corker

They are nboth leaning towards voting yes on the AMNESTY Bill to give AMNESTY to 25,000,000 illegal aliens...

This has nothing to do with immigration.....

[kylaka]

Cloture (the vote to end debate) requires 60 votes. If you can’t end debate, then a simple majority vote cannot take place. And that’s one of their simple straight forward rules.

[2ndDivisionVet]

Just say NO to Illegal Alien Amnesty!! Keep calling!! It’s NOT OVER!!

U.S. Senate switchboard: (202) 224-3121

U.S. House switchboard: (202) 225-3121

White House comments: (202) 456-1111

Find your House Rep.: http://www.house.gov/writerep

Find your US Senators: http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm

[Socratic]

I would repeatedly make sure there was no quorum, so this tactic would have to be be repeated over and over each time the absent Senators were recalled to the chamber. When will Repubs fight back and make this a looooooooooooooong drawn out procedure.

[Heartland Mom]

While I am not advocating it, I can certainly understand the frustration that leads some countries to stage a coup to regain control out of the hands of a regime that no longer cares or listens to the will of the people.

[SkyPilot]

Wy does Reid need 60 instead of 51?

Cloture I guess.

Is GW going to block this?

GW has been sleeping with the enemy on immigration for weeks now. He is on the wrong side of the angels on this, but he doesn't care.

[Greg F]

I think that a lot of people are starting to feel that way.

[GailA]

And they will be bringing in millions of their 'extended' families....which will impact local, county and state taxes to provide services for them.

One Democratic amendment, which would give family ties more weight in any point system that allows illegal immigrants to gain legal status, could cause trouble with Republican supporters of the bill.

The proposal, by Robert Menendez, D-N.J., has support from liberals and immigration advocates. But it has the potential to increase legal immigration and could be a deal-breaker for Republican supporters pushing for a merit-based immigration system.

Menendez dismissed the criticism, saying family reunification is a “bedrock principle” of the nation’s immigration system.

“Some of my colleagues have attached erroneous labels to my other family reunification amendments to rile opposition, but that’s just political rhetoric,” Menendez said.

At the other end of the political spectrum is an amendment by Kay Bailey Hutchison, a Republican who represents Texas, that would require holders of a new “Z” visa — which would be given to illegal immigrants — to return to their home country within two years and reapply for permanent residence.

[Harrius Magnus]

I am not advocating... yet; but if this passes through “end-runs” and Elitist chicanery (despite the overwhelming sentiment of the citizens of this country), I may have to reconsider. In fact, I would fight CWII before I would leave America — as so many Leftists always threaten to do when things don’t go their way. As a resident of SC, my first face-to-face will be with that nefarious worm, Pandsey Graham.

[HeartlandOfAmerica]

All of these outright lies and deceptions are paid for with the tax money taken out of our pockets by Uncle Thug.

There's always another lie in Washington. Always.

[HeartlandOfAmerica]

lol. Shouldn't there at least be 'environmental impact' studies done like there is anytime we want to build something?

oh yeah. The govt operates on different rules than the rest of us peons do.

:(

[IamConservative]

I don’t understand how this tactic gives any advantage.

As I understand it the bill will be brought to the floor as a collection of 22 amendments. Once the cloture vote is passed, Harry will "shoot the clay pigeon" and break the bill into 22 separate amendments and force a vote on each one. The idea is to take up the 30 hours of debate voting on each individual piece of the bill so no other new amendments have a chance to be brought.

Something like that at any rate. The idea is to use up the debate time so no opposition can be heard.

[Cringing Negativism Network]

NO AMNESTY.

[Baladas]

So do I, in a way, but Gore and Kerry would have supported this too, so I guess it’s okay.

But if Bush can be this wrong on one issue, it casts doubts on everything else. I do agree that the Bush dynasty needs to end, as does the Kennedy one.