Posted on 06/13/2007 3:17:00 AM PDT by conservativecorner
In a rare visit to Capitol Hill, President Bush pressed Republican senators yesterday to resurrect the compromise overhaul of the nation's immigration laws, but many of the senators instead demanded that his administration first show a more determined commitment to border security.
The visit was the first time in five years that Bush had come to the Capitol for the Republican senators' weekly policy luncheon. He and senior administration officials painted the meeting -- coming five days after the collapse on the Senate floor of the tenuous compromise on immigration -- as a rescue session. Bush made an impassioned plea for the legislation, saying "the status quo is unacceptable."
"Now is the time to move a comprehensive bill that enforces our borders and has good workplace enforcement, that doesn't grant automatic citizenship, that addresses this problem in a comprehensive way," he said after the lunch.
Although senators described the meeting as cordial, even jovial, they also said the president's efforts to rally GOP support did not win any converts. "We're off the bill. We ought to stay off the bill for a while," said Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.), one of the bill's sternest critics.
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) marveled at the president's passion and commitment. But, he added: "We didn't expect anyone to stand up and holler that they had an epiphany."
And, apparently, nobody did.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
I certainly don’t expect Sen. Warner to stand up and holler anything.
He’s a sneaky, underhanded RINO who’s supposedly not yet decided where he stands on this fiasco.
Note tagline.
Well, Reid says he’s not going to bring it to the Senate floor unless Bush can deliver the Republican votes.
He can’t.
I think it’s really dead this time.
Oh, and the Feds have NO intention of enforcing the laws on the books — because it would cause rampant inflation and cut into big business profits.
Only a new president will make the changes the people demand. So, we wait....
Now that the Bush admiinistration has run out of lies and insults, maybe it can do what people want, enforce the law.
Two election-year “enforcement” bills crossed Bush’s desk and were signed into law, one in 2004 and another last October. Neither have over a 3/10ths of 1% completion rate so there’s not even been a “half-assed” attempt made to do what is mandated by law.
And Bush claims without this one, border security can’t be achieved? Until I at least see the 10000 bp agents and a 700 mile secure fence, I’ll never believe any serious effort is intended.
So, then shutting the border down would have an effect on 60 percent of the problem & you have no deseire to start there?
I think chertoff, you are part of the probelm!
I believe such a move would be an incentive for companies to improve their business practices. Quality and productivity would improve. Plus Americans who have given up employment would have an incentive to reenter the workforce. I don't think it would be inflationary, or hurt profits in the long run. What happened after Eisenhower managed to send back three million illegals?
2.Guest worker program (not linked to amnesty or a pathway to citizenship). If you overstay your work visa by 30 days you face immediate repatriation to your country of origin and will not be granted another work visa for a period of five years.
3. Fix the legal emigration problems leading to a back log.
Have a point based system that benefits the US
4. Create new status for illegals already here.
a. they have 60 days to report and register, after the 60 days if they will not register they will be repatriated to their country of origin.
b. New Status will allow them to get at the END of the legal emigration line and apply for new type of visa. This visa will allow them legal residency for 5 years. No voting rights, ever. Visas will be reviewed every 5 years. Any felonies committed by holder of this new visa will result in immediate repatriation to their country of origin. No government assistance will be paid to them until they have worked in the US for a minimum of 15 years. Limited assistance there after for catastrophic occurrences only.
THAT will be their “amnesty”
Take it or leave it (and if you chose not to register you’ll be immediately repatriated to your country of origin).
Carrot and stick approach.
The current bill as it is written is an affront to all thinking Americans.
There is no compelling reason to link guest worker program to pathway to citizenship.
“See you at the bill signing”.....
hahahaha
Keep the pressure up, FRiends. Call your senators, one call is worth about a thousand emails. If you can't get through to the capitol office call their state office.
This is a wretched bill and it must die an ignoble death.
Remember, though - as of now, Fred = McCain-Lite and needs to prove himself otherwise.
This smoke being blown up my butt is from Mel Martinez my senator. After I wrote him the 1st time I got a reply asking for a donation to the Republican party:
Dear Mr. Boucher:
Thank you for taking the time to contact me. I appreciate hearing from you regarding comprehensive immigration reform and would like to respond to your concerns.
As you may know, on June 7, 2007, the Senate was unable to reach an agreement on the Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act (S. 1348) and the Senate Majority Leader has set aside S. 1348, for the time being. Delaying comprehensive reform does a disservice to America. I remain committed to working together with my colleagues to produce a tough but fair and workable piece of legislation that President Bush can sign into law during this Congress.
To do this, we must secure the border first. The first section of S. 1348 mandates that border security and worksite-enforcement benchmarks must be met before other elements of the legislation are implemented. This legislation will direct the Department of Homeland Security to complete construction of hundreds of miles of additional double layered fencing and create 200 miles of vehicle barriers on our border with Mexico. The department will hire and train 18,000 border patrol agents. In addition, this bill provides for surveillance technologies to enhance our ability to monitor the border, such as, 70 ground –based radar and camera towers on the southern border and 4 unmanned aerial vehicles. However, physically securing the border will not solve the entire problem. Employers will be required to verify the work eligibility of all employees using an employment eligibility verification system, while all workers will be required to present stronger and more verifiable identification documents. Tough new anti-fraud measures will be implemented and stiff penalties imposed on employers who break the law.
After the border has been certified secure by the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security and the employment verification system is in place, the remaining provisions of the bill will go into effect. To address the labor shortage in industries with a demonstrated need such as, the Florida Citrus and Hospitality Industries, a guest worker program will be implemented. The purpose of this program is to relieve pressure on the border and provide a lawful way to meet the needs of our economy. The proposal creates a temporary worker program to fill jobs Americans are not doing. To ensure this program is truly temporary, workers will be limited to three two-year terms, with at least a year spent outside the United States between each term. A small percentage of temporary workers will be allowed to bring immediate family members only if they have the financial ability to support them and they are covered by health insurance.
Additionally, this legislation does away with a relative- based immigration system or “Chain Migration” and establishes a new merit-based system to select future immigrants based on the skills and attributes they will bring to the United States. Under the merit-based system, future immigrants applying for permanent residency in the U.S. will be assigned points for skills, education, and other attributes that further our national interest including: ability to speak English; level of schooling, including added points for training in science, math, and technology; employment in a specialty or high-demand field; employer endorsement; and certain family ties to the U.S. This merit- based system will enhance and ensure American competitiveness for the future and put American immigration policies in line with other industrialized nations.
It is my firm belief that addressing border security and cracking down on unscrupulous employers while doing nothing to address those already living here illegally would amount to de facto amnesty for those 12 million. Further, it is in the United States’ national security interest to learn the identity of these individuals. Illegal immigrants who come out of the shadows will be given probationary status. Once the border security and enforcement benchmarks are met, they must pass a background check, remain employed, maintain a clean criminal record, pay an initial fine, determined by the size of their household as well as a state impact fee, and receive a counterfeit-proof biometric card to apply for a work visa or “Z visa.” Some years later, these Z visa holders will be eligible to apply for limited permanent residency, but only after paying an additional $4,000 fine; completing accelerated English requirements and demonstrating knowledge of American civics; going to the back of the line while the current green card backlog clears; returning to their home country to file their application; and demonstrating merit under the merit-based system. It is important to note that a petitioner for or holder of a Z visa can be deported at any time if a disqualifying factor is identified during background checks, such factors include but are not limited to— a criminal conviction, gang affiliation or terrorist activity.
With my full support, this bill declares that English is the national language of the United States and calls on the United States Government to preserve and enhance it, as well as enacting accelerated English requirements for many immigrants.
Please know that I will keep your concerns in mind as the Senate debates S.1348. I am aware that Congress has failed to oversee the enforcement of immigration law in the past. I believe that S. 1348 provides the Executive Branch, American employers and people aspiring to work in America or become Americans with a clear and workable policy that is efficient and fair. This is an important national security, economic, and humanitarian challenge, and I know the American people are looking to Congress for action and oversight.
Again, thank you for sharing your views with me. If you have any additional comments, please contact me. For more information about issues and activities important to Florida, please sign up for my weekly newsletter at http://martinez.senate.gov.
Sincerely,
Mel Martinez
United States Senator
Choice comment from McConnell.
Dear Mr. President,
What's UNACCEPTABLE is offering citizenship to over 12 million fugitives! As long as citizenship is on the table and background checks are off the table, this bill is going NOWHERE!
to read later
KEEP THE CALLS/E MAILS UP!
Bush is acting like he’s never going to have to run for office again and he’s not. Seems he also thinks that congress won’t have to either.
Failure to first secure the border post 9/11 much less not at all, even so much as encourage illegals here leads to only one possible and logical answer as to why. The intergration of North America and an erosion of our sovereinty.
Following the ‘04 elections I was sent a signed picture of Bush and Cheney thanking me for my support. I sent it back to the WH in an envelope, AFTER I ran it through my shredder.
McConnell’s actually one of the bad guys on this. He wants to get amendments and bring the bill back.
Ya know I watched Fred on lano last night. I was impressed. he didnt avoid answering one question by changing the subject and his answers were intelligent.
He was my man before and he still is he mentioned a website but I havent been able to find it yet, maybe I am not spelling it right,If anybody finds it please post it.
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