 |
|
|
 News from Around the Americas | June 2007 
US Immigration Bill Advances in Senate
 Julie Hirschfeld Davis - Associated Press
go to original
| | Sen. Jim DeMint, R-S.C., second from right, meets with House Republicans on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, June 26, 2007, that are opposed to immigration reform legislation being considered in the Senate. Rep. John Shadegg, R-Ariz., is second from left, Rep. Peter Hoekstra, R-Mich., is at center, and Sen. Tom Coburn, R-Okla. is at right. (AP Photo/Dennis Cook) |
Washington - The Senate resurrected the immigration bill that could legalize millions of unlawful immigrants Tuesday, but the delicate compromise still faces the same threats that derailed it earlier this month.
The White House and Republican and Democratic architects of the bill hailed the crucial test vote that revived the legislation, and they predicted approval of the measure by week's end.
Their victory was fleeting, though, giving way just hours later to stalling tactics from Republican foes. Conservatives moved Tuesday evening to delay consideration of a package of amendments designed to pave the way for a final vote on the bill.
That was just the first in a series of formidable obstacles lying in the bill's path. The Senate is slated to consider 26 amendments, mostly from senators seeking to change key elements of the bill, that have the potential to either sap its support or draw new backers.
After that, the legislation must overcome another make-or-break vote as early as Thursday. And there is no guarantee that it will ultimately attract enough support to pass.
Republicans and Democrats alike are deeply conflicted over the legislation, which also would create a temporary worker program, strengthen border security and institute a new system for weeding out illegal immigrants from workplaces.
Masking those divides, the Senate voted 64-35 to revive the bill, which stalled earlier this month when it failed to muster the 60 votes it needed to scale procedural hurdles.
Twenty-four Republicans joined 39 Democrats and independent Senator Joseph Lieberman of Connecticut to move ahead with the bill. Opposing the move were 25 Republicans, nine Democrats and independent Senator Bernard Sanders of Vermont.
Senator Edward 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 did the right thing today because 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, Senator 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."
President George W. Bush and his team were working intensely to rally support for the measure.
"It's a careful compromise," the president told business leaders and representatives of religious, Hispanic and agricultural communities. He said, "In a good piece of legislation like this, and a difficult piece of legislation like this, one side doesn't get everything they want."
Bush was working the phones to drum up backers, said Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutierrez, who with Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff was also lobbying senators.
Boxer's Vote Helps Immigration Bill
Gannett News Service
Sen. Barbara Boxer voted Tuesday to revive debate on a comprehensive immigration overhaul, reversing her position two weeks earlier when she joined most Republicans and some Democrats in filibustering the legislation.
Tuesday's 64-35 Senate vote set the stage for a final action on the bill by the end of the week, but its passage remains uncertain with 20 amendments still pending.
According to the Boxer's spokeswoman, the California Democrat opposed the effort to limit to debate two weeks ago "because she felt the bill was too complicated and it needed more work."
Boxer's vote Tuesday "means that the Senate can keep working on the bill," spokeswoman Natalie Ravitz explained in an e-mail. "Senator Boxer feels that Senate leadership and negotiators of the bill acted in good faith to allow senators more time to offer amendments, including her amendment to bring more accountability to the guest worker program. She is also pleased that the delay in the bill resulted in the addition of more than $4 billion for border security and enforcement." |
| |
|
Vallarta Weddings
Tell a Friend
Site Map
Print this Page
Email Us