Posted on 03/13/2008 7:00:37 AM PDT by Delacon
WASHINGTON — House Republicans are attempting a procedural move to force a vote on an immigration bill that could divide Democrats in an election year.
U.S. Rep. Zach Wamp, R-Tenn., is among several House Republicans who have signed a discharge petition to bring the Secure America with Verification and Enforcement Act up for a vote. The petition would bypass the usual process of getting bills through congressional committees.
The bill, which many liberal Democrats oppose but moderates in the party support, would add 8,000 border patrol agents and increase deportations. It also would revamp a federally run electronic legal-verification program that employers use. U.S. Rep. Heath Shuler, D-N.C., introduced the bill.
“I absolutely admire Heath Shuler’s courage,” Rep. Wamp said. “He’s got a good bill, a bipartisan bill, and it tests the mettle of (centrist Democrats). To move forward, they have to stand against the more liberal members of their party.”
Democrats accuse Republicans of playing political games with a serious issue.
U.S. Rep. Lincoln Davis, D-Tenn., said he will not sign the petition, despite co-sponsoring the bill.
“The same Republicans who failed for years to secure our borders when they controlled the Congress are playing politics again with immigration,” he said. “Should the SAVE Act come to the floor for a real up or down vote, I will gladly vote for the bill.”
The petition must have 218 lawmaker signatures for the bill to be “discharged” for a vote by the full House, meaning Republicans will need signatures from some Democrats to succeed.
U.S. Reps. John Duncan, R-Tenn., and Nathan Deal and Phil Gingrey, both R-Ga., have signed on, and Republican leaders are courting more lawmakers. As of Wednesday evening, the petition had 163 signatures.
Rep. Shuler has signed the petition, though he said he would have preferred the legislation to come up through the normal process. Rep. Wamp defended the use of the petition.
“When you’re in the minority and the majority won’t bring (the bill) up, you only have one route, and that’s the discharge,” he said.
The last discharge petition to succeed was a campaign finance reform bill in 2002, brought up by the then-Democratic minority and passed over the objections of then-House Speaker Tom Delay, R-Texas.
Proponents of the bill favor the enforcement-first approach, saying the border needs to be secured before other immigration issues are addressed. measure
Opponents say the bill provides no safeguards against erroneous information in the verification database and will hurt the economy by stepping up the deportation of millions of workers.
“The same Republicans who failed for years to secure our borders when they controlled the Congress are playing politics again with immigration,” he said. “Should the SAVE Act come to the floor for a real up or down vote, I will gladly vote for the bill.”
Oh come on. You co sponsored the bill certain that it would die in committee. Now it may actually go to the floor for real debate and that loud beeping sound is you backing the truck up. Pelosi has your panties on a hook doesn't she? I hope the voters in your district that you were trying to appeal to when you co sponsored the bill are paying attention and will vote your butt out. What blatant hypocrisy.
ping
Sure... He’s playing both sides of the issue. The Dems always do this.
With a name like Lincoln Davis, he’s used to playing both sides of an issue!
Ping!
“With a name like Lincoln Davis, he’s used to playing both sides of an issue!”
LOL, I never thought of that. Can we hope his middle name is Booth?
Well he isn't lying here. The Republicans are like little girls yelling from behind the fence.
“Well he isn’t lying here. The Republicans are like little girls yelling from behind the fence.”
Can’t argue with that.
Um gotta love the Dino-MSM. The Hammer was NEVER House Speaker, as much as I and I am sure several of us here at FR would have wished him to be.
I do hope this passes.
What he isn't mentioning is that the Dems now have control and haven't fixed the problem either. In fact, they've been fighting against any efforts to do so.
Thanks for the PING
Zach is my congressman...
Attention Californians!
CA Alert! State legislation would penalize business owners for knowingly hiring illegal aliens
Due to the unwillingness of the federal government to enforce immigration laws at the workplace, Assemblyman Bob Huff (R-Diamond Bar) has introduced legislation to revoke the business licenses of employers who deliberately hire illegal aliens in California.
Under AB 2421, a business that the court finds to have intentionally employed an unauthorized alien would temporarily or permanently lose its business license.
Please click here to learn more and to take action.
http://capwiz.com/caps/issues/alert/?alertid=11121271&type=ST
Totally agree. I’d like to add that the SAVE Act would fly through congress if it had H-2A increase provisions. The few dems who introduced this bill did so without them because it would have taken wind out of the sails for their soon to be introduced amnesty bills.
Anyone know if the SAVE Act, in it’s current form, still gives pardon to churches that harbor illegal aliens (think Elvira)?
You are blessed.
:)
Thank you AuntB.
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