Harry Reid Will Bring Up Immigration, Gay Rights Measures in Lame Duck

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid announced late Wednesday that he will bring two controversial measures up for a vote in the lame-duck session of Congress, a move that could be both measures' last chance of passage before Republicans take control of the House in January.

The first bill, known as the DREAM Act, would give young illegal immigrants a path to citizenship if they complete two years of college or two years in the military. To qualify, they also must have come to the country before the age of 16 and have been in the United States longer than five years.

The DREAM Act become a top priority for the Latino community this year as it became more and more clear that comprehensive immigration reform would not be politically viable, even with a Democratically controlled Congress. As Reid campaigned for re-election, he promised immigration activists that he would bring the DREAM Act to the floor for a vote this year.

"If there is a bipartisan bill that makes sense for our country economically, from a national security perspective and one that reflects American values, it is the DREAM Act," Reid said in a statement Wednesday night. "Last time we sought to bring up this bill, all Republicans blocked our effort, even though many have been supporters of the DREAM Act in the past. I hope that our Republican colleagues will join me, Sen. Durbin and Democrats in passing this important piece of legislation, now that we have a stand-alone version and that the political season is over."

Reid's announcement that the DREAM Act will be a stand-alone bill means that he has stripped it from the Defense Authorization bill, the annual legislation that sets policy for the Pentagon, which Reid announced will also come up for a vote in the lame-duck session. Just before the November elections, Reid had grafted the DREAM Act onto the DOD bill, which Republicans complained made the measure needlessly controversial.

Even without the immigration rider tacked onto it, however, the defense bill remains in danger of a filibuster because it includes language to begin the repeal of "Don't ask, don't tell," the policy that bans gays from serving openly in the military.

Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), the top Republican on the defense committee, has led the charge against the bill and blocked it in August and October when it came up for consideration, calling a change to DADT before the release of a military survey of service members "disgraceful."

Although early leaked versions of the report indicate that "Don't ask, don't tell" could be lifted with minimal disruption to the military, McCain has insisted that the final report be released and the Senate hold hearings on the findings before making a significant change to Pentagon policy.

But Reid said Wednesday he does not plan to wait. "Our Defense Department supports repealing 'Don't ask, don't tell' as a way to build our all-volunteer armed forces. We need to repeal this discriminatory policy so that any American who wants to defend our country can do so."


http://www.politicsdaily.com/2010/11/18/harry-reid-will-bring-up-immigration-gay-rights-measures-in-lam/

Things are looking pretty good. How many Senators do we have for sure? Anybody know? It definitely includes some Republicans since it is now stand-alone.

If Pres. Obama tries his best to unite his Party this is my prediction.

Democracts have 59 seats , they are going to lose ONE : Mark Kirk-R-IL
So that's 58 votes.

The 58 votes , I'm sure that Sen. Pryor (D-AR) Would voted aganist it
and Sen. Blanche Lincoln (D-AR) would NOW VOTE in Favor as she had said before .

So that's 57 votes . We can expect to lose another VOTE from democrats

Do Democracts to vote in favor :
56-57 DEMOCRACTS


Republicans Senators that I think 100% sure for it

1Sen. Collins (R-Maine)
2Sen. Snowe (R-Maine)
3Sen. Bennet (R-Utha)
4Sen. Hatch (R-Utha) -
5Sen. Lugar (R-Indiana)
---------------------------------------------------------
Senators that are 40-60% to vote for it NEED TO CALL THEM.

Sen. Lemiux (R-Florida) hes out in 2011
Sen. Brown (R-Mass ) hes for election in 2012, (his going to lose)
Sen. Voinovich (R-Ohio) hes out in 2011
Sen. Brownback (R-Kansas) VOTED FOR IT IN 2007, hes out in 2011


So if this goes 56-57 democracts
and 5 republicans

Vote projections 61 to 62 More realistic
Vote projections 67 to 33 BEST CASE SCENARIO.


Worst case scenario 59 -41

I really think is going to pass..


last time my predictions was that it would not pass based on research .
but I had hope that would passed in september despite that and then it fail. .. But now the numbers are GOOD. HOPE IT PASSES

of course it will pass!!!

Good to be enthusiastic, but nonetheless we still need to work hard making those phonecalls, e-mails, faxes, supporting our Dreamers in D.C.,

This is it!!! Were living it babby!!!!

I read on Twitter Lemieux is gonna vote no, F*** that guy anyways.

Indeed I sure hope your projections are right, someone should call Hatch and find out his stance on the issue. I read in an article on google.com/news that Hatch would vote against DREAM legislation along with McCain. Whatever the case may be, I feel very optimistic that the Dream act will pass.

I think he's a lost cause. He's up for reelection in 2012 and will more than likely face a "real conservative" challenger. That's why he ditched his moderate stance and went completely right.

Thats beyond 60, so yea I think we will cruise in the Senate.