Posted on 06/26/2007 12:10:25 PM PDT by wilco200
WASHINGTON– U.S. Senator Judd Gregg today joined 63 of his colleagues in supporting a motion to proceed to debate on S.1639, a comprehensive immigration reform package.
Senator Gregg stated, “Today I voted in support of debating immigration reform, one of the biggest issues facing our country. The bill in its present form needs to be fixed, but so does our immigration system. There is no way to improve this bill if we refuse to take it up and debate it.
“It is a known fact that our current immigration laws and procedures are not working. Our borders are porous and we have not done enough to ensure that we know who is coming into our country on a daily basis. We must establish control over our borders, especially our border with Mexico, before we make sweeping changes in our immigration laws and issue visas to millions of undocumented immigrants.
“We need to address the fact that our current immigration laws undermine our nation’s future competitiveness in the global economy. Instead of encouraging the best and brightest to come here and create economic opportunities for all, we slam the door in their faces through arbitrary restrictions and an overemphasis on family relations over individual merit. While this bill makes some improvements in this area, it also takes some significant steps backwards by undermining important visa programs – namely, the H-1B visa program – that are critical for recruiting highly skilled individuals. It is quite possible that over the next few days, proposed amendments may make the bill’s flaws only worse with respect to the H-1B program, and this is unacceptable when our nation is facing a growing shortage of workers with the skills and education necessary for today’s growth industries. I will not support a debate that does not follow regular process and give individual members, including myself, a fair opportunity to address this issue and make sure that our immigration laws are aligned with our nation’s priorities.
“Any plausible immigration reform must also increase the number of available guest workers so that employers have legal alternatives if U.S. workers are unavailable. A workable guest worker system, which has wage protections and other measures to ensure that U.S. workers are not adversely affected, is critical to help ensure that employers and immigrants play by the rules, as well as take pressure off our Southwest border. This bill, however, fails to create a practical guest worker program for all employers, and I find it hard to believe that any comprehensive immigration reform will work unless we fix this problem. Unfortunately, the Senate will not even be allowed to consider an amendment that addresses this issue.
“So I have voted to allow debate on this important measure, but do so with serious reservations about the present form of the legislation. I am hopeful that substantive improvements can be made to this bill; however, if they are not, this bill will fail and I will vote against it.”
I think you missed my point. I am concerned, solely, with seeing them squirm.
I called the RNC of Missouri. She told me if it is any consolation, that Bond has been getting 2100 calls a day. Still he voted the opposite. Last week I was promised he would vote No.
“concerned, soley, with seeing them squirm”
Perhaps we need to be soley concerned with voting these “weasels” out of office. Squirming means nothing to them as long as they get to stay in power and get their egos stroked by saying they represent the people.
“designed to silence his phones”
That’s my guess. We hammered Georgia’s Senators and I believe they stood their ground on a nay cloture vote even they had helped craft this pos.
Squirm first, then removed from office. What I am proposing is an immediate squirm opportunity, and a chance for them to lie about it so when it comes out in the wash, they will be on the record with a big ol’ long nose. The removal from office is at least a year and a half away.
Bond is one of the most likely prospects to flip and vote no for cloture on Thursday. Glad to hear he’s feeling the heat.
Call and e-mail to express outrage at Gregg’s vote for cloture. Explain that we’re not stupid. We know it’s the same as a vote for amnesty. DEMAND a “no” vote on cloture when it comes up again Thursday. That’s the last, best chance to stop the bill.
Gregg’s office: 202-224-3324
His chief of staff: joel_maiola@gregg.senate.gov
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
“I am hopeful that substantive improvements can be made to this bill; however, if they are not, this bill will fail and I will vote against it.””
There are no substantive improvements to this bill that will help the H1-B situation. The massive Z1 visa program will cause a breakdown in processing of legal immigrants, will unleash 6 million family-chain-migration ‘backlog’ cases, and will hamper employer-based immigration for more than a decade.
Gregg needs to be a NO VOTE ON CLOTURE.
Thus the right solution for Senator Gregg is to vote “NO” on cloture.
Yea, Kit Bond was pumping the same sunshine up our asses when he spoke to Hannity tonight. These people, of and by and for the people, give no sense of responsiveness to the people. They do not fear us. And they sure as hell don’t respect us.
I heard it. I had emailed Hannity and asked him to ask Bond if he was promised anything by the administration or the Republican leadership, but he didn’t. I would be very interested in knowing who got to Bond, who I always thought was a good guy, and on what basis they got to him.
I was walking past Senator Gregg and a constituent in the basement hallway of the Dirksen Senate Office building and I have to say, he was the single most rude person I have ever overheard. The constituent most innocently handed him a poem she had written urging him to vote against the pending amnesty in disguise immigration bill. He threw it back in her face and said “That’s a stupid poem.” Then got on the elevator and walked off.
I have to say, as a hill staffer, I see Senators interact with their constituents all the time and I have never ever witnessed something so rude in my life.
My sympathies go out to all the New Hampshire citizens who have to endure him as their Senator. He’s just awful.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.