Posted on 12/10/2010 7:49:08 PM PST by freespirited
Outgoing Sen. Bob Bennett (R-Utah) said Friday he's privately discussed the prospect that Republicans would pursue their own version of the DREAM Act next year.
Bennett said he would vote for the immigration legislation, which gives immigrants who were illegally brought to the U.S. as children a conditional pathway to citizenship, if Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) brought it to the floor under the right conditions.
If that fails, the outgoing senator said, Republicans have privately discussed the prospects of writing and passing a version of the DREAM Act that could make its way through Congress.
"Now, I know a lot of my colleagues are not happy to vote for it, and I don't think the votes ... are there to pass it in this Congress," Bennett said in his final conference call with Utah reporters. "And as I've talked, particularly to my Republican friends, I've said we really need to do this. Their reaction has been to me, privately, 'You're right. We do really need to do it.'"
Democrats are hoping to bring up the House-passed version of the DREAM Act for a vote in the Senate in the closing days of the lame-duck Congress. Bennett has said he would vote for a standalone version of the bill but not for one that is wedded to many other provisions he doesn't prefer.
But time is running out on the Senate's legislative calendar, especially as Republicans have demanded that taxes be handled before any other issue. Because no final deal has been made, it might be difficult for Democrats to pass the legislation.
"We don't like the specifics coming out of the House ... but we agree that, once the Republicans control the House, the Republicans have the responsibility to write a bill that we would vote for and send it over," Bennett said of his conversation with fellow Republicans.
"And we, at least the Republican senators I've talked to, we think that if we get a DREAM Act worded the way we like, we will vote for it, and we want to do it early next year," he added. "It's my hope — I don't expect it — but it's my hope that we can do it this year. If not, it's my hope a little bit stronger that it can be taken care of next year."
Such a move could anger conservatives if the legislation doesn't substantially differ from the Democratic-led legislation this term. Conservative activists were riled by President George W. Bush's push for comprehensive immigration reform in 2007, which — like the DREAM Act — they called an "amnesty" bill.
Republican lawmakers' tensions with the base contributed to the kind of anger in the party base that led to primary challenges to Republican incumbents this cycle. One such primary ended Bennett's career, after Sen.-elect Mike Lee beat out Bennett for the Republican Senate nomination in Utah earlier this year.
However, my guess is that he has talked to about two people.
Only if they want to be unemployed.
And those 2 people lost last election also. I dont believe this for a minute.
let them dream away on their way back to whatever country in handcuffs!
Fricken idiot RINOs!!
Vote the corrupt bastards OUT!!
The Republicans pull something like this and everything is over, all bets off. They would be asking for honest to goodness rebellion. In.The.Streets.
I find it very hard to believe as well. More likely he dreamed of passing the DREAM Act.
We are indebted to the Tea Party for helping us get rid of him.
Whew... No wonder this guy is gone.
No kidding! if they open the door for kids that have went to school,they are creating their own nightmare-Send every illegal back-period.
We don’t need NEW LAWS, just ENFORCE the CURRENT ONES!
Hey Bob! How ‘bout this! How ‘bout the you clowns in the AMERICAN government putting the AMERICAN people first for a change. I’m tired of you bozos using OUR money to solve the rest of the world’s problems! Let THEIR government give them their own damn “dream act”.
Alert #1: There is already a program in place for non-citizens to earn U.S. citizenship through faithful military service. Your local recruiting office can discuss it with you.
Alert #2: Going to college doesn't do this country any great favors. It might make you more employable and eligible for a green card if you learn a skill this country needs. Otherwise, it will make you into just one more p*ssed off unemployed person with a college degree to pay off. We have more than an ample supply of those who are already citizens. Why do we need more?
Some of them just don’t know when to quit, even after they’ve been tossed out of office.
“WE”? Bennett is not part of any “WE” - thankfully and the RINOS left behind had better wake-up from any DREAM ACTS. - NO WAY!
GOP IS ON PROBATION!
He was. :)
Have a Great Recession/Near Depression, which drives up Real Unemployment to around 17%, and then all the Criminaliens self deport. After economic recovery, unemployment drops, economy heats up, and THEN, Legal Immigration is used to fill in a bit here and there.
Looks like Utah Republicans did the right thing firing this clown.
damn straight! when I read the OP, I near had a stroke, till I realized that this bozo is already on his way out. I still think it would be a nice gesture to show up at his office with a bucket of tar and a sack of feathers anyway, so his colleagues will get the message.
Senator Bennett can take all the time he wants once he’s out of office to plan all the things he’s going to do for illegals.
Meanwhile, the new Congress will be thinking of what it can do for Americans.
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