Reform debate updates !!! - Page 68

I doubt its about the Dems wanting to keep something for Bush. Its really just pandering to voters. If ALI-PAC and other stupid organizations say "We're going to unseat you if you don't vote the way we want you to" and they bombard them with calls all day, everyday it's bound to make a difference. If you read any of the anti-immigrant forums, you will see that they will stop at nothing to try and get their agenda through. They will lie about their zip codes, scream at staffers, and fax representatives from different fax machines throughout the day.


If your reason was truly correct, why did former "Bushie" Republicans vote against something the President has called for time and time again? The majority the Dems enjoy right now is very minimal. We need at least 20+ Republican votes to ever get CIR out of the Senate.


Our real battle will begin the House. =/

I still think we have the votes in the house to overcome a filibuster, but the senate has to act first.

A filibuster only applies to the Senate,in the House we just have to get a 218 vote majority.

For an update on immigration reform I suggest everyone watch Fox news Sunday today,Durbin will be talking about Immigration reform at about 6:00 p.m EST.

I would also like to say that everyone should NOT think this is the last time for Dream act.There will be other opportunities for the legislation.

i dont like the later this year part lol, what does later on mean like in the fall??

According to this video, there will be a private meeting between some republicans in Harry Reid's office on Tuesday or Wednesday wherein republicans will beseech Reid to bring back the immigration bill, that all they need is two more days.

On the other hand. Kyl is also predicting that it could pass before the fourth of july reccess.

when do they come back after the july 4th recess?? if they do come back is there enough time for the house to do something or pass something on their side???

I very much doubt the House can finish in July,especially since even a 100 member Chamber is having so much trouble.Can you imagine a 435 member chamber ?

The thing is that it looks like the House was to deal with immigration this week when the Senate passed their bill,but alas things have changed.The reason why I say this is because the House immigration sub-committee seems to be finished with its "hearings" & the full-committee seems to be dealing with an aspect of immigration dubbed "Ratification of Immigration Rules of Procedure and Statement of Policy for Private Immigration Bills and Rules of Procedure for Private Claims Bills" but I would rather "Strive Act".

I think things can be easier in the house though, because the minority doesn't wield the amount of authority and power as in the senate. The important thing is that talks will resume this week and Bush will push full throttle.

Let's remember that the bill wasn't voted down as last year (it was voted down twice before Martinez-hagel), it was just put in hiatus. The rift was induced over an amount of amendments_ not because of opposition from those who helped crafted it. The votes are there, they have them, that's why the likes of Graham and Kyl are sure it can pass in a couple of days.

Maybe Reid did good by yanking the bill off the floor. Those republicans who helped put the bill together genuinely want a bill. But they were dragging it out, first it was one more week, and later they said they needed a couple of days or perhaps 2 more weeks, and that was going to end up with the bill being voted down. Republicans will pow-wow with Reid this week, so hopefully the will understand that when he says 2 or 3 more days, it will be it.


the good thing is that Kyl himself is getting tired of his own collegues, and he has threatened to vote for cloture and pass the bill out of the senate if they didn't come to an agreement on their amendments soon.

In the mist of all the sadness there is some good news




Advocates expect vote on immigration bill
Say Senate could approve measure before week ends

By Mark Drajem, Bloomberg News | June 11, 2007

WASHINGTON -- A stalled measure to overhaul US immigration laws is "alive and well" and will come back for a vote after a lobbying effort by President Bush, said Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutierrez and other supporters of the bill.
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The legislation might be approved by the Senate in as little as two days if Harry Reid, the Senate majority leader, allows debate on the proposal to continue, Gutierrez said yesterday in an interview on CNN's "Late Edition."

"I believe the votes were there, and some senators felt like they needed more time," Gutierrez said. "This is first and foremost a national security bill. The reality is the law is weak, and this bill makes the law stronger."

The measure to offer 12 million undocumented immigrants legal status and create a guest worker program failed a procedural vote pushed by Reid to conclude debate after nine days. The Senate fell 15 votes short of the 60 required to end debate. Bush's involvement would give the proposal a 50-50 chance of approval, Senator Evan Bayh, an Indiana Democrat, told "Late Edition."

Bush drew criticism from Reid and other Democrats for failing to win support from enough members of his own party and from some Republicans for attacking opponents of the legislation as fearmongers. Senator Mel Martinez, a Florida Republican who helped sponsor the plan, told Bloomberg Television's "Political Capital with Al Hunt" Friday that the president needs to "roll his sleeves up" to push the plan.

Bush, who has made overhauling immigration a centerpiece of his domestic agenda, plans to have lunch with Senate Republicans tomorrow to help revive the measure, according to a Senate Republican aide.

Seven Republican senators voted to end debate on the immigration measure, with 38 against it. The issue is damaging the party, said Senator Jon Kyl, an Arizona Republican.

"It hurts greatly. There is no political winner in this for us," Kyl told "Late Edition." "Maybe we could get it to a neutral, but that's not very good politics."

Still, Kyl predicted that the measure would pass the Senate before July 4.
© Copyright 2007 Globe Newspaper Company.

Not sure what they mean, maybe someone can clear this for me



Monday, June 11, 2007 10:07





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DREAM Act offers chance to young illegal immigrants



Published Wednesday, June 6th, 2007

A bipartisan proposal to open doors for longtime U.S. residents brought here illegally as children is getting another chance in Congress.

The DREAM Act (Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors) is aptly named, since it would remedy the illegal status that keeps these kids from fully participating in the American dream.

It's a fair-minded plan that would maximize the investment taxpayers have already made in the education of young immigrants.

Granted, it would bestow benefits on illegal immigrants, but we're not talking about adults. Some of those the proposal would help arrived as infants. To many, the United States is the only home they've ever known.


The legislation has a ring of the dreaded "A" word -- amnesty -- but it also has strict eligibility limitations.

Only those who entered United States at least five years prior to the bill's passage and were under the age of 16 when they came here are eligible.

Those who immigrate after the passage of the bill are not eligible. It's not opening a new can of worms and encouraging more people to sneak their children across the borders.

Also, prospects must graduate from high school and have a clean criminal record.

They then have a six-year window of opportunity to earn a two-year college degree (or put two years toward a four-year degree) or give two years in military service.

The carrot is a permanent green card, or resident alien status.

Opposition to the bill is strongly tied to the "A" word, and some fear it will take away educational opportunities from citizens. After all, there is a limited number of seats available on our college campuses.

There is some validity to that argument, but not much. An estimated 60,000 illegal immigrants graduate from high school each year and in 2006, 1,641,000 freshman entered college. About half of them never finish.

As far as the amnesty issue goes, yes, a few people may "jump to the front of the line." But it's a very few people, when compared with the estimated 12 million illegal aliens already here.

And these are academically inclined, decent youngsters who need a chance to give back to a system that has already given to them.

With a permanent green card the DREAMER can work, pay taxes and contribute to society.

No one is happy with the immigration system. It's not working. But this is one piece of the dream that has potential.