angela256z
06-27-2007, 07:02 PM
Immigration reform is back in play with Senate vote
By The Washington Post and The Associated Press
Among lawmakers at Tuesday's Capitol Hill news conference on immigration legislation were, from left, Sen. Tom Coburn, R-Okla.; Sen. Jim DeMint, R-S.C.; Rep. Ed Royce, R-Calif.; and Rep. Phil Gingery, R-Ga.
Related
Bush calls bill "amnesty," then beats hasty retreat
WASHINGTON — Legislation to overhaul the nation's immigration laws cleared a key hurdle Tuesday when the Senate voted 64 to 35 to take up the measure again after a nearly three-week break. But opponents of the proposal insisted they would scuttle it by week's end.
The procedural vote squeezed past the 60-vote threshold needed to bring the bill back for debate, but even advocates said that was the easy part. The immigration bill now must run a gantlet of 26 politically charged amendments and clear another 60-vote hurdle Thursday before a final vote Friday.
The bill's most ardent opponents forced the Senate clerk last night to read all 26 of those amendments in their entirety as a delaying tactic. "This is going to begin some very heavy trench warfare," said Sen. Arlen Specter, R-Pa. "It's going to be like World War I."
Still, Bush administration officials who have championed the proposal insisted a bill once left for dead was now on its way toward passage.
Key elements of bill
Key elements of the bipartisan immigration measure:
• Allows illegal immigrants who were in the country as of Jan. 1, 2007, to gain "Z visa" if they pay fees and fines and pass a background check. Allows them to get on the path to citizenship after waiting in line, paying more fines, holding down jobs and learning English. Heads of households would have to return to home countries to apply for green cards.
• Creates new temporary-worker program that would allow as many as 200,000 guest workers per year to enter on two-year Y visas. Program would end after five years.
• Prevents Y and Z visa programs from taking effect until security and enforcement measures are met. Provides $4.4 billion to fund measures.
• Creates employment-based point system for new immigrants to qualify for green cards based on education and skill level, and eliminates or limits visa preferences for family members.
The Associated Press
"We are confident in Senate passage because we look at the alternative and the alternative is nothing," said Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff.
Privately, White House officials were less confident. Even if it clears the Senate, the bill faces a wall of GOP opposition in the House.
Detractors say the immigration bill's border security provisions are unworkable and its path to citizenship for 12 million illegal immigrants amounts to "amnesty" for lawbreakers.
Twenty-four Republicans joined 39 Democrats and independent Sen. Joe Lieberman of Connecticut to move ahead with the bill. Opposing the move were 25 Republicans, nine Democrats and independent Sen. Bernard Sanders of Vermont.
Both of Washington state's senators, Democrats Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell, voted to revive the bill.
Sen. Edward M. Kennedy of Massachusetts, the lead Democratic negotiator on the bill, called the vote "a major step forward for our national security, for our economy and for our humanity."
"We know the American people sent us here to act on our most urgent problems. We know they will not stand for small political factions getting in the way," Kennedy said.
On the other side, Sen. Jeff Sessions, R-Ala., said opponents of amnesty for illegal immigrants are being told they must vote for the bill anyway "because that's the only way we're going to create a legal system of immigration in America."
Under the bill, he said, "we're not going to get any substantial reduction in illegality, we're going to double illegality."
By The Washington Post and The Associated Press
Among lawmakers at Tuesday's Capitol Hill news conference on immigration legislation were, from left, Sen. Tom Coburn, R-Okla.; Sen. Jim DeMint, R-S.C.; Rep. Ed Royce, R-Calif.; and Rep. Phil Gingery, R-Ga.
Related
Bush calls bill "amnesty," then beats hasty retreat
WASHINGTON — Legislation to overhaul the nation's immigration laws cleared a key hurdle Tuesday when the Senate voted 64 to 35 to take up the measure again after a nearly three-week break. But opponents of the proposal insisted they would scuttle it by week's end.
The procedural vote squeezed past the 60-vote threshold needed to bring the bill back for debate, but even advocates said that was the easy part. The immigration bill now must run a gantlet of 26 politically charged amendments and clear another 60-vote hurdle Thursday before a final vote Friday.
The bill's most ardent opponents forced the Senate clerk last night to read all 26 of those amendments in their entirety as a delaying tactic. "This is going to begin some very heavy trench warfare," said Sen. Arlen Specter, R-Pa. "It's going to be like World War I."
Still, Bush administration officials who have championed the proposal insisted a bill once left for dead was now on its way toward passage.
Key elements of bill
Key elements of the bipartisan immigration measure:
• Allows illegal immigrants who were in the country as of Jan. 1, 2007, to gain "Z visa" if they pay fees and fines and pass a background check. Allows them to get on the path to citizenship after waiting in line, paying more fines, holding down jobs and learning English. Heads of households would have to return to home countries to apply for green cards.
• Creates new temporary-worker program that would allow as many as 200,000 guest workers per year to enter on two-year Y visas. Program would end after five years.
• Prevents Y and Z visa programs from taking effect until security and enforcement measures are met. Provides $4.4 billion to fund measures.
• Creates employment-based point system for new immigrants to qualify for green cards based on education and skill level, and eliminates or limits visa preferences for family members.
The Associated Press
"We are confident in Senate passage because we look at the alternative and the alternative is nothing," said Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff.
Privately, White House officials were less confident. Even if it clears the Senate, the bill faces a wall of GOP opposition in the House.
Detractors say the immigration bill's border security provisions are unworkable and its path to citizenship for 12 million illegal immigrants amounts to "amnesty" for lawbreakers.
Twenty-four Republicans joined 39 Democrats and independent Sen. Joe Lieberman of Connecticut to move ahead with the bill. Opposing the move were 25 Republicans, nine Democrats and independent Sen. Bernard Sanders of Vermont.
Both of Washington state's senators, Democrats Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell, voted to revive the bill.
Sen. Edward M. Kennedy of Massachusetts, the lead Democratic negotiator on the bill, called the vote "a major step forward for our national security, for our economy and for our humanity."
"We know the American people sent us here to act on our most urgent problems. We know they will not stand for small political factions getting in the way," Kennedy said.
On the other side, Sen. Jeff Sessions, R-Ala., said opponents of amnesty for illegal immigrants are being told they must vote for the bill anyway "because that's the only way we're going to create a legal system of immigration in America."
Under the bill, he said, "we're not going to get any substantial reduction in illegality, we're going to double illegality."