Senate Group Close on Immigration Rewrite, Schumer Says

Ianus · 03-27-2013, 04:47 PM

I am glad the Senate 'Gang of 8' are still trying to govern by reaching a compromise despite the disagreement between labor and business.

Quote:

New York Senator Charles Schumer said a bipartisan Senate group is “90 percent” done with its draft of legislation to overhaul U.S. immigration law.

“Bottom line is, we are very close,” Schumer, who is part of an eight-member group working on the proposal, said today at a news conference in Arizona following a tour there of the border with Mexico. “I’d say we’re 90 percent there. We have a few little problems to work on.”

Schumer said today’s border tour, which he took with fellow Senators John McCain and Jeff Flake, both Arizona Republicans, and Colorado Democrat Michael Bennet, deepened his understanding of the challenges in securing the U.S. border. He said the visit would make it easier for him to explain to his Democratic Senate colleagues why Republicans are insisting on measurable increases in border security as part of a plan. McCain, Flake and Bennet are members of the Senate group.

Republicans say a path to citizenship for 11 million undocumented immigrants already in the U.S. must be contingent on improving border security.

“Whatever your views are on immigration, Arizona is ground zero,” Schumer told reporters today, noting that McCain and Flake had been pushing hard in the talks for technological improvements at the border. “We should do more, but that’s not the end all and be all.”

‘Cost Effective’

Schumer said the trip convinced him that federal agents “have adequate manpower but not adequate technology” at the border. Still, he cautioned that the Senate group must find an “effective but also cost effective” approach that does not add to the budget deficit.

The Senate group is planning to unveil its proposal, which is based on principles it released in late January, the week of April 8. Schumer said today that the group was “on track” to meet that deadline.

A remaining issue in the talks is how to resolve a long- simmering dispute between organized labor and business groups over a new program to provide U.S. work visas to low-skilled foreign workers and the wages that businesses should be required to pay those workers.

Labor unions say U.S. businesses are trying to create a program that would let them import workers who could be easily exploited and paid low wages. AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka said he’s trying to secure an exemption in the bill for the construction industry until the nation’s jobless rate stabilizes.
‘Already Trained’

“Until the unemployment rate gets down to a certain level, you don’t bring them in,” Trumka said in an interview taped for C-SPAN’s “Newsmakers” program to air this weekend. “You hire the people that are here, that are already trained, that have experience and are ready to go,” he said.

The specific unemployment rate is still being negotiated, Trumka said.

The AFL-CIO wants the Chamber of Commerce and congressional Republicans to agree to language that says the U.S. won’t issue visas at a wage rate that will reduce or hurt U.S. worker’s wages or benefits. The Department of Labor would determine what that number should be. While Trumka said business groups initially objected to the offer, he’s hopeful there will be an agreement. “I think we’ll get past this issue,” he said.

More generally, labor unions are pressing for a limited visa system that guarantees better wages for future immigrant workers, while businesses seek a broader program more responsive to their hiring needs.

Republicans want to expand the allotment of visas for immigrants with the vocational, technical or educational qualifications to meet the demand of U.S. companies for skilled workers.

Closed-Door Talks

In closed-door talks, labor unions and Democratic negotiators are proposing to allocate 10,000 such visas initially and cap the program at 200,000 visas, according to people close to the negotiations who requested anonymity to describe them.

That number would increase or contract through a formula that factored in U.S. economic and employment data and the recommendations of a government panel. Businesses would have to pay immigrant workers hired through the program a certain wage, in some cases much higher than would otherwise be required.

A compromise may require a trade-off between more job- related visas and the annual allotment of 65,000 visas for adult siblings of naturalized U.S. citizens.

Another Republican member of the Senate group, Florida Senator Marco Rubio, last week called the guest-worker issue “one of the more difficult parts” of the negotiations and said he would not support a bill “that doesn’t create a process whereby people can come to this country temporarily in the future if we need them.”

Sonawabich · 03-27-2013, 06:05 PM

90%?

That is not good enough. I thought the progress was around 98%

Happyman0607 · 03-27-2013, 06:45 PM

Great news, I can't wait to see the bill

Task_1539 · 03-27-2013, 07:59 PM

The week of April 8th...feeling stoked.

Happyman0607 · 03-27-2013, 09:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Task_1539

The week of April 8th...feeling stoked.

Yup :P

Rogue414 · 03-27-2013, 10:15 PM

We shall see

Pianoswithoutfaith · 03-27-2013, 11:51 PM

you know back in 2012, we said, "OMG February is the month can't wait!!" then February came, and it turned into, "March!!"

DreamBig09 · 03-28-2013, 12:16 AM

Now April.. Well u know what.... APRIL FOOOLS! We are 95% ready by May

Happyman0607 · 03-28-2013, 12:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pianoswithoutfaith

you know back in 2012, we said, "OMG February is the month can't wait!!" then February came, and it turned into, "March!!"

Not really..

Happyman0607 · 03-28-2013, 02:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DA User

Great news. So F4 category will change?

hey dude, when are you predicting CIR will pass?

They need you!

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Senate Group Close on Immigration Rewrite, Schumer Says