Immigration measure gets 1 last chance - Amendments are sticking point in Senate
Immigration measure gets 1 last chance - Amendments are sticking point in Senate
By Karoun Demirjian
Copyright © 2007, Chicago Tribune
Published June 19, 2007
WASHINGTON -- Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid introduced an updated immigration bill Monday, launching one more attempt to conclude debate on the contentious issue and approve the measure in the Senate before Congress breaks for the 4th of July holiday.
The next two weeks are likely the last chance for passage of an immigration bill in the Senate this year, and this seems to be a critical make-or-break moment for advocates of comprehensive reform.
The bill was pronounced all but dead two weeks ago, when Reid, a Nevada Democrat, pulled it from consideration after several motions to limit debate failed. At the time, several Republicans, including Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), insisted Reid had rushed a process that likely would have resulted in passage of the bill, had Republicans had more time to offer amendments.
A group of bipartisan senators, the original architects of the measure, spent the bulk of last week deciding on an acceptable list of amendments, whittling a few hundred proposals down to a final 22, split between Republicans and Democrats.
McConnell said on Sunday that the outcome of the bill, which would mandate improvements in border security and employee verification programs and put the estimated 12 million illegal immigrants in the U.S. on a pathway to citizenship, is too close to call.
Revived as new legislation, the redrafted immigration bill reflects the substance of amendments approved during the first two weeks of Senate debate, including a phaseout of the temporary guest worker program.
The new bill also includes a proposal by Sens. Jon Kyl (R-Ariz.) and Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) to establish a $4.4 billion fund, paid for by fees and fines collected from undocumented immigrants, exclusively for financing border security.
The Senate is expected to resume the debate after it finishes work on an energy bill this week. But the immigration measure still will have to clear several procedural votes and weather consideration of a bevy of additional amendments before a final vote is taken.
Several of the amendments threaten to be the most divisive challenges to date. They come from both sides of the aisle and include a proposal by Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-Texas) to require undocumented immigrants in the U.S. to return to their home countries before they apply for visas to legalize their status, and a proposal by Sen. Robert Menendez (D-N.J.) to increase family reunification under the new system.
Though senators and advocates supporting reform are being careful to avoid calling any measure a "poison pill," the list appears to be problematic enough that Senate leaders are at least considering employing the rare tactic of packaging amendments to avoid losing critical support and votes.
Under the procedure, Reid would introduce a single, 22-part amendment, divisible into component parts for debate. Known as a "clay pigeon," it would offer the bill's supporters a means of staging the debate more or less free from interference, with the objective of keeping enough senators together to maintain the 60 votes needed to thwart a filibuster.
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kdemirjian@tribune.com
By Karoun Demirjian
Copyright © 2007, Chicago Tribune
Published June 19, 2007
WASHINGTON -- Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid introduced an updated immigration bill Monday, launching one more attempt to conclude debate on the contentious issue and approve the measure in the Senate before Congress breaks for the 4th of July holiday.
The next two weeks are likely the last chance for passage of an immigration bill in the Senate this year, and this seems to be a critical make-or-break moment for advocates of comprehensive reform.
The bill was pronounced all but dead two weeks ago, when Reid, a Nevada Democrat, pulled it from consideration after several motions to limit debate failed. At the time, several Republicans, including Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), insisted Reid had rushed a process that likely would have resulted in passage of the bill, had Republicans had more time to offer amendments.
A group of bipartisan senators, the original architects of the measure, spent the bulk of last week deciding on an acceptable list of amendments, whittling a few hundred proposals down to a final 22, split between Republicans and Democrats.
McConnell said on Sunday that the outcome of the bill, which would mandate improvements in border security and employee verification programs and put the estimated 12 million illegal immigrants in the U.S. on a pathway to citizenship, is too close to call.
Revived as new legislation, the redrafted immigration bill reflects the substance of amendments approved during the first two weeks of Senate debate, including a phaseout of the temporary guest worker program.
The new bill also includes a proposal by Sens. Jon Kyl (R-Ariz.) and Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) to establish a $4.4 billion fund, paid for by fees and fines collected from undocumented immigrants, exclusively for financing border security.
The Senate is expected to resume the debate after it finishes work on an energy bill this week. But the immigration measure still will have to clear several procedural votes and weather consideration of a bevy of additional amendments before a final vote is taken.
Several of the amendments threaten to be the most divisive challenges to date. They come from both sides of the aisle and include a proposal by Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-Texas) to require undocumented immigrants in the U.S. to return to their home countries before they apply for visas to legalize their status, and a proposal by Sen. Robert Menendez (D-N.J.) to increase family reunification under the new system.
Though senators and advocates supporting reform are being careful to avoid calling any measure a "poison pill," the list appears to be problematic enough that Senate leaders are at least considering employing the rare tactic of packaging amendments to avoid losing critical support and votes.
Under the procedure, Reid would introduce a single, 22-part amendment, divisible into component parts for debate. Known as a "clay pigeon," it would offer the bill's supporters a means of staging the debate more or less free from interference, with the objective of keeping enough senators together to maintain the 60 votes needed to thwart a filibuster.
----------
kdemirjian@tribune.com
posted by Carlos T Mock @ 8:04 AM
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