Posted on 06/20/2007 10:01:52 AM PDT by IrishMike
WASHINGTON - In an attempt to derail the compromise immigration bill working its way through the Senate, a group of House Republicans unveiled an alternative measure Tuesday that takes a harder line against immigration that would block illegal immigrants from becoming citizens while directing the Bush administration to enforce current laws.
Called the Secure Borders FIRST Act, the new bill focuses on improving security at the border, stiffening sanctions for employers who hire illegal immigrants, and establishing a market-based temporary guest worker program, which would allow immigrants into the country on 10-month renewable visas. It also increases penalties for gang membership and identity theft, and establishes English as the official language of the United States.
It is a direct answer to the Senate bill, which mandates stepped-up border security but also puts the estimated 12 million undocumented immigrants currently in the United States on a pathway to citizenship.
Members of the Congressional Immigration Caucus, a House consortium that opposes illegal immigration, made no effort to disguise their hope that their measure, which will be officially introduced later this week, will impede passage of the Senate bill.
"What we want to do is stop the Senate amnesty bill in its tracks right now," said Rep. Peter King, R-N.Y. "If Congress is serious about border security and immigration control, then this is the solution."
The measure is also a direct challenge to President Bush, who sees immigration as a legacy issue and has supported the Senate bill as a means of achieving that goal. The Senate bill, which was nearly killed two weeks ago, will face a critical juncture later this week, when lawmakers are to begin considering a list of 22 amendments, the final potential changes to the bill.
(Excerpt) Read more at mercurynews.com ...
As Mortimer Snerd would say, "Oh, yuh, sure"! Sheesh!!
No. As GatorGirl has stated, both bills must be reconciled and the reconciliation passed by both houses. The reconciliation then goes to the President for signing or vetoing. The President cannot 'pick-and-choose'.
We're a tough audience, as you're finding out. I would suggest a little studying up on the separation of government, the Constitution, and how government works. It'll help immensely.
Oh, and welcome to FR. And I don't mean that jokingly.
If you're so committed against 'Amnesty' as you claim, then the only thing I can see in the above is the section "and establishing a market-based temporary guest worker program, which would allow immigrants into the country on 10-month renewable visas." that could be troubling you.
But that speaks toward immigrants, not illegal aliens. So I don't necessarily read it as being amnesty for those already here.
But this is just a couple newspapers reporting. It also states it's to be entered as a bill later this week. Why don't we sit back, take a breath, and see exactly what this new House bill contains before we get all out-of-sorts? Hm?
Way to go Peter King. We're with you.
(Kid) "Whew! You sure gotta' climb a lotta' steps to get to this Capitol building here in Washinton! Well, I wonder who that sad little scrap of paper is?"
I'm just a bill, yes I'm only a bill, and I'm sittin' here on Capitol Hill
Well it's a long, long journey to the capitol city. It's a long, long wait while I'm sittin' in committee - but I know I'll be a law someday, at least I hope and pray that I will, but today I am still just a bill.
(Kid) "Gee, Bill, you certainly have a lot of patience and courage."
(Bill) "Well, I got this far. When I started I wasn't even a bill, I was just an idea. Some folks back home decided they wanted a law passed, so they called their local congressman and he said, 'You're right, there ought to be a law.' Then he sat down, wrote me out, and introduced me to Congress, and I became a bill - and I'll remain a bill until they decide to make me a law."
I'm just a bill, yes I'm only a bill, and I got as far as Capitol Hill. Well now, I'm stuck in committee, and I'll sit here and wait, while a few key congressmen discuss and debate whether they should let me be a law.
How I hope and pray that they will, but today I am still just a bill.
(Kid) "Listen to those congressmen arguing! Is all that discussion and debate about you?"
(Bill) "Yeah, I one of the lucky ones. Most bills never get this far. I hope they decide to report favorably, otherwise I may die."
(Kid) "Die?"
(Bill) "Yeah, die in committee. Ooh, but it looks like I'm gonna' live. Now I go to the House of Represenatives and they vote on me."
(Kid) "If they vote 'Yes,' what happens?"
(Bill) "Then I go to the Senate and the whole thing starts all over again."
(Kid) "Oh, no."
(Bill) "Oh, yes!"
I'm just a bill, yes I'm only a bill, and if they vote for me on Capitol Hill, well, then I'm off to the White House, where I'll wait in a line with a lot of other bills for the President to sign, and if he signs me then I'll be a law How I hope and pray that he will, but today I am still just a bill.
(Kid) "You mean, even if the whole Congress says you should be a law, the President can still say no?"
(Bill) "Yes. That's called a 'veto.' If the President vetoes me, I'll have to go back to Congress and they vote on me again, and by that time you're so old, you...
(Kid) "By that time it's very unlikely that you'll become a law. It's not easy to become a law, is it?"
(Bill) "No..."
But how I hope and pray that I will, but today I am still just a bill.
(Congressman) "He signed you, Bill. Now you're a law."
(Bill) "Oh yes!"
Sadly, this is how many of us of a certain age learned civics (and math, and science for that matter). I still can't recite the "Preamble to the Constitution" without singing it! :-)
On the surface, this sounds like something that could kill the Senate amnesty bill if enough Representatives got behind it. Especially if the RINOs in the Senate and Bush see such organized Congressional opposition. Time will tell, once we see exactly what it contains. But the above statement "What we want to do is stop the Senate amnesty bill in its tracks right now" leads one to hope.
I'm waiting with baited breath.
And, hopefully, UltraDude can take it to heart and learn more about how things work. Perhaps we can even be a little more relaxed about things until we know exactly what we're dealing with.
“these people” hate you but they can’t get your guns but they can get your money............
... and a prayer
Senator Lamar Alexander (R-TN) Chief of Staff tom_ingram@alexander.senate.gov
Legislative Director
david_morgenstern@alexander.senate.gov
Press Secretary/Communications Director
scot_montrey@alexander.senate.gov
llee_pitts@alexander.senate.gov
Senator Wayne Allard (R-CO)
Chief of Staff
sean_conway@allard.senate.gov
Legislative Director
charles_cogar@allard.senate.gov
Communications Director
laura_condeluci@allard.senate.gov
Press Secretary
steve_wymer@allard.senate.gov
Senator Robert Bennett (R-UT)
Chief of Staff
maryjane_collipriest@bennett.senate.gov
Legislative Director
mark_morrison@bennett.senate.gov
Press Secretary
emily_christensen@bennett.senate.gov
Senator Christopher “Kit” Bond (R-MO)
Chief of Staff
brian_klippenstein@bond.senate.gov
Legislative Director
kara_smith@bond.senate.gov
Communications Director
shana_marchio@bond.senate.gov
Senator Sam Brownback (R-KS)
Chief of Staff
glen_chambers@brownback.senate.gov
Domestic Policy Advisor
brian_robertson@brownback.senate.gov
Press Secretary/Communications Director
john_rankin@brownback.senate.gov
brian_hart@brownback.senate.gov
Senator Jim Bunning (R-KY)
Chief of Staff
blake_brickman@bunning.senate.gov
Legislative Director
kim_dean@bunning.senate.gov
Press Secretary
mike_reynard@bunning.senate.gov
Senator Richard Burr (R-NC)
Chief of Staff
alicia_peterson-clark@burr.senate.gov
alicia_peterson-petersonclark@burr.senate.gov
Legislative Director
natasha_hickman@burr.senate.gov
Press Secretary/Communications Director
laura_caudell@burr.senate.gov
mark_williams@burr.senate.gov
Senator Saxby Chambliss (R-GA)
Chief of Staff
charlie_harmon@chambliss.senate.gov
Legislative Director – Monty Philpot
monty_philpot@chambliss.senate.gov
Press Secretary/Communications Director
annelaurie_waters@chambliss.senate.gov
angie_lundberg@Chambliss.Senate.gov
Lindsay_mabry@chambliss.senate.gov
Senator Thad Cochran (R-MS)
Chief of Staff
jenny_manley@cochran.senate.gov
Legislative Director
ta_hawks@cochran.senate.gov
Press Secretary
margaret_wicker@cochran.senate.gov
Margaret_mcphillips@cochran.senate.gov
Senator Norm Coleman (R-MN)
Chief of Staff
jennifer_lowe@coleman.senate.gov
Deputy Chief of Staff
lucia_lebens@coleman.senate.gov
Legislative Director
lorianne_moss@coleman.senate.gov
Communications Director
tom_steward@coleman.senate.gov
tom_stewart@coleman.senate.gov
Press Secretary
leroy_coleman@coleman.senate.gov
Senator Susan Collins (R-ME)
Chief of Staff
steve_abbott@collins.senate.gov
Deputy Chief of Staff
marybeth_carozza@collins.senate.gov
Legislative Director
jane_alonso@collins.senate.gov
Press Secretary/Communications Director
elissa_davidson@collins.senate.gov
jen_burita@collins.senate.gov
Kevin_kelley@collins.senate.gov
Senator Bob Corker (R-TN)
Chief of Staff
todd_womack@corker.senate.gov
Legislative Director
paul_palagyi@corker.senate.gov
Press Secretary
laura_lefler@corker.senate.gov
Senator John Cornyn (R-TX)
Chief of Staff
peter_olson@cornyn.senate.gov
Legislative Director
russ_thomasson@cornyn.senate.gov
Counsel
chip_roy@judiciary.senate.gov
matthew_johnson@judiciary.senate.gov
ramona_mcgee@judiciary.senate.gov
Press Secretary/Communications Director
brian_walsh@cornyn.senate.gov
don_stewart@cornyn.senate.gov
john_drogin@cornyn.senate
Senator Larry Craig (R-ID)
Chief of Staff
mike_ware@craig.senate.gov
Legislative Director
brooke_roberts@craig.senate.gov
Senior Policy Advisor
travis_jones@craig.senate.gov
Press Secretary/Communications Director
dan_whiting@craig.senate.gov
Senator Michael Crapo (R-ID)
Chief of Staff
peter_fischer@crapo.senate.gov
pete_fischer@crapo.senate.gov
Legislative Director
kenneth_flanz@crapo.senate.gov
Senior Policy Advisor
staci_lancaster@crapo.senate.gov
Press Secretary/Communications Director
susan_wheeler@crapo.senate.gov
Senator Jim DeMint (R-SC)
Chief of Staff
bret_bernhardt@demint.senate.gov
Legislative Director
matt_hoskins@demint.senate.gov
Press Secretary/Communications Director
wesley_denton@demint.senate.gov
Senator Elizabeth Dole (R-NC)
Chief of Staff
greg_gross@dole.senate.gov
Legislative Director
al_garesche@dole.senate.gov
General Counsel
ryan_meyers@dole.senate.gov
Press Secretary/Communications Director
katie_norman@dole.senate.gov
Senator Pete Domenici (R-NM)
Chief of Staff
steve_bell@domenici.senate.gov
Legislative Director
edward_hild@domenici.senate.gov
Press Secretary/Communications Director
chris_gallegos@domenici.senate.gov
Immigration LA
tara_shaw@domenici.senate.gov
Senator John Ensign (R-NV)
Chief of Staff
john_lopez@ensign.senate.gov
Legislative Director
pam_thiessen@ensign.senate.gov
Press Secretary/Communications Director
tory_mazzola@ensign.senate.gov
jack_finn@ensign.senate.gov
don_tatro@ensign.senate.gov
Senator Michael Enzi (R-WY)
Chief of Staff
flip_mcconnaughey@enzi.senate.gov
Legislative Director
randi_reid@enzi.senate.gov
Press Secretary/Communications Director
coy_knobel@enzi.senate.gov
elly_pickett@enzi.senate.gov
Immigration LA
wendy_gnehm@enzi.senate.gov
Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC)
Chief of Staff
richard_perry@lgraham.senate.gov
Legislative Director
Jennifer_olson@lgraham.senate.gov
jen_olson@lgraham.senate.gov
Press Secretary/Communications Director
wes_hickman@lgraham.senate.gov
kevin_bishop@lgraham.senate.gov
Senator Charles Grassley (R-IA)
Chief of Staff
david_young@grassley.senate.gov
Legislative Director
kolan_davis@grassley.senate.gov
Press Secretary/Communications Director
jill_kozney@grassley.senate.gov
beth_pellett_levine@grassley.senate.gov
Senator Judd Gregg (R-NH)
Chief of Staff
joel_maiola@gregg.senate.gov
Legislative Director
nancy_perkins@gregg.senate.gov
General Counsel
christopher_gahan@gregg.senate.gov
Press Secretary/Communications Director
erin_rath@gregg.senate.gov
Senator Chuck Hagel (R-NE)
Chief of Staff
louann_linehan@hagel.senate.gov
Legislative Director
paul_kong@hagel.senate.gov
General Counsel
steve_taylor@hagel.senate.gov
Press Secretary/Communications Director
mike_buttry@hagel.senate.gov
Jordan_stark@hagel.senate.gov
Senator Orrin Hatch (R-UT)
Chief of Staff
patricia_knight@hatch.senate.gov
Legislative Director
jace_johnson@hatch.senate.gov
Deputy LD
chris_campbell@hatch.senate.gov
Counsel
bill_castle@hatch.senate.gov
Press Secretary/Communications Director
peter_carr@hatch.senate.gov
Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX)
Chief of Staff
marc_short@hutchison.senate.gov
Legislative Director
matthew_acock@hutchison.senate.gov
james_christoferson@hutchison.senate.gov
Press Secretary/Communications Director
jamie_loftus@hutchison.senate.gov
geoff_embler@hutchison.senate.gov
General Counsel
beto_cardenas@hutchison.senate.gov
Senator James Inhofe (R-OK)
Chief of Staff
glenn_powell@inhofe.senate.gov
Legislative Director
aloysius_hogan@inhofe.senate.gov
Press Secretary/Communications Director
ryan_thompson@inhofe.senate.gov
Immigration LA
john_bonsell@inhofe.senate.gov
Senator Johnny Isakson (R-GA)
Chief of Staff
heath_garrett@isakson.senate.gov
Legislative Counsel
glee_smith@isakson.senate.gov
Senior LA
michael_quiello@isakson.senate.gov
Senior Policy Advisor/Communications Director
joan_kirchner@isakson.senate.gov
Senator Jon Kyl (R-AZ)
Chief of Staff
tim_glazewski@kyl.senate.gov
Legislative Director
elizabeth_maier@kyl.senate.gov
Chief Counsel
stephen_higgins@judiciary.senate.gov
Judiciary Counsel
joe_matal@judiciary.senate.gov
Legislative Counsel
lucy_murfitt@kyl.senate.gov
Press Secretary/Communications Director
andrew_wilder@kyl.senate.gov
Senator Trent Lott (R-MS)
Chief of Staff
bret_boyles@lott.senate.gov
Legislative Director
jim_sartucci@lott.senate.gov
Press Secretary/Communications Director
susan_irby@lott.senate.gov
nick_simpson@lott.senate.gov
Legislative Counsel
hugh_gamble@lott.senate.gov
National Security Advisor
mitch_waldman@lott.senate.gov
Senator Richard Lugar (R-IN)
Chief of Staff
marty_morris@lugar.senate.gov
Legislative Director
chris_geeslin@lugar.senate.gov
Deputy LD
joe_oÂ’donnell@lugar.senate.gov
Senior LA
shellie_bressler@lugar.senate.gov
Press Secretary/Communications Director
andy_fisher@lugar.senate.gov
Senator Mel Martinez (R-FL)
Chief of Staff
john_little@martinez.senate.gov
Legislative Director
michael_zehr@martinez.senate.gov
Press Secretary/Communications Director
ken_lundberg@martinez.senate.gov
Senator John McCain (R-AZ)
Chief of Staff
vacant
Legislative Director
ann_begeman@mccain.senate.gov
Press Secretary/Communications Director
eileen_mcmenamin@mccain.senate.gov
andrea_jones@mccain.senate.gov
Counsel
lee_dunn@mccain.senate.gov
Senior LA
chris_paul@mccain.senate.gov
Judiciary LA
joe_donoghue@mccain.senate.gov
Foreign Affairs LA
richard_fontaine@mccain.senate.gov
Senator Mitch McConnell (R-KY)
Chief of Staff
billy_piper@mcconnell.senate.gov
Legislative Director
scott_raab@mcconnell.senate.gov
Press Secretary/Communications Director
robert_steurer@mcconnell.senate.gov
julie_adams@mcconnell.senate.gov
Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK)
Chief of Staff
donna_murray@murkowski.senate.gov
Legislative Director
isaac_edwards@murkowski.senate.gov
Press Secretary/Communications Director
danielle_holland@murkowski.senate.gov
kristin_pugh@murkowski.senate.gov
Senator Pat Roberts (R-KS)
Chief of Staff
jackie_cottrell@roberts.senate.gov
Legislative Director
mike_seyfert@roberts.senate.gov
Deputy LD
jennifer_swenson@roberts.senate.gov
Press Secretary/Communications Director
sarah_little@roberts.senate.gov
molly_mueller@roberts.senate.gov
Senator Jeff Sessions (R-AL)
Chief of Staff
rick_dearborn@sessions.senate.gov
Legislative Director
alan_hanson@sessions.senate.gov
Chief Counsel
cindy_hayden@sessions.senate.gov
Deputy Counsel
charles_campbell@sessions.senate.gov
Press Secretary/Communications Director
michael_brumas@sessions.senate.gov
emily_mathis@sessions.senate.gov
Senator Richard Shelby (R-AL)
Chief of Staff
vacant
Legislative Director
laura_friedel@shelby.senate.gov
Office Manager
anne_caldwell@shelby.senate.gov
Press Secretary/Communications Director
katie_boyd@shelby.senate.gov
Senator Gordon Smith (R-OR)
Chief of Staff
john_easton@gsmith.senate.gov
Legislative Director
rob_epplin@gsmith.senate.gov
Press Secretary/Communications Director
rc_hammond@gsmith.senate.gov
Other Key Aides
beth_stewart@gsmith.senate.gov
dan_knezevic@gsmith.senate.gov
lori_prater@gsmith.senate.gov
Senator Olympia Snowe (R-ME)
Chief of Staff
john_richter@snowe.senate.gov
Legislative Director
ray_krncevic@snowe.senate.gov
Press Secretary/Communications Director
jake_ward@snowe.senate.gov
david_snepp@snowe.senate.gov
Senior Policy Advisor
ginny_worrest@snowe.senate.gov
Senator Arlen Specter (R-PA)
Chief of Staff
scott_hoeflich@specter.senate.gov
Deputy Chief of Staff/Legislative Director
thomas_dower@specter.senate.gov
Legislative Counsel
seema_singh@specter.senate.gov
seema_singh@judiciary.senate.gov
Press Secretary/Communications Director
vacant
Senator Ted Stevens (R-AK)
Chief of Staff
george_lowe@stevens.senate.gov
Legislative Director
karina_waller@stevens.senate.gov
Press Secretary/Communications Director
aaron_saunders@stevens.senate.gov
courtney_boone@stevens.senate.gov
steven_wackowski@stevens.senate.gov
Senator John Sununu (R-NH)
Chief of Staff
paul_collins@sununu.senate.gov
Legislative Director
mike_oÂ’rielly@sununu.senate.gov
michael_oÂ’reilly@sununu.senate.gov
Press Secretary/Communications Director
barbara_riley@sununu.senate.gov
Senator Craig Thomas (R-WY)
seat is currently vacant due to Senator Thomas’ death.
Senator John Thune (R-SD)
Chief of Staff
m_zabel@thune.senate.gov
matthew_zabel@thune.senate.gov
Legislative Director
david_schwietert@thune.senate.gov
Press Secretary/Communications Director
kyle_downey@thune.senate.gov
jessica_ferguson@thune.senate.gov
Senator David Vitter (R-LA)
Chief of Staff
kyle_ruckert@vitter.senate.gov
Legislative Director
tonya_newman@vitter.senate.gov
Legislative Counsel
wendy_fleming@vitter.senate.gov
Press Secretary/Communications Director
joel_digrado@vitter.senate.gov
mac_abrams@vitter.senate.gov
Senator George Voinovich (R-OH)
Chief of Staff
phil_park@voinovich.senate.gov
Counsel
george_callas@voinovich.senate.gov
doug_dziak@voinovich.senate.gov
Press Secretary/Communications Director
chris_paulitz@voinovich.senate.gov
Senator John Warner (R-VA)
Chief of Staff
ann_loomis@warner.senate.gov
Legislative Director
chris_yianilos@warner.senate.gov
Legislative Counsel
angela_stewart@warner.senate.gov
Senior LA
conrad_schatte@warner.senate.gov
Press Secretary/Communications Director
john_ullyot@warner.senate.gov
For once the Pubs actually are on the offensive. Push it hard and make the Dems buy into amnesty. After all the Dems are trying to post the bill on just the Pubs as they are again with the Stem Cell Bill. So they keep bringing back bills like immigration, stem cells just to keep the Pubs divided. And mirible dictu, it is working.
WHY the importance of the lawmakers that all these illegal immigrants be allowed to become US citizens? Why not just permanent residents? Why the “citizenship” issue. Many could care less if they are legal citizens.
.
.
.
Citizens vote,
Permanent Residents cannot.
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.