Thread: Cornyn urges president to help break imm. reform impasse

Web Posted: 07/31/2006 03:18 PM CDT

Gary Martin
Express-News Washington Bureau

WASHINGTON - Sen. John Cornyn vented frustration Monday that Republicans in Congress have failed to reach a compromise on an immigration reform bill, and urged President Bush to take a "bold and dramatic" step to break the impasse.

Cornyn, R-Texas, said the likelihood of a bill passing before the Nov.7 election is fading, and the stalemate between the House and Senate threatens to doom approval of legislation this year without presidential interference

"It will take a bold and dramatic move by the president of the United States," Cornyn told Texas reporters at the Hart Senate Office Building.

Cornyn's plea comes as Bush toured a Miami bakery and prepared for a trip Thursday to Texas, where he is expected to address immigration reform following a tour of the Border Patrol office in Mission.

In Miami, Bush spoke to entrepreneurs concerned about whether they will be able to "find people to help their businesses expand." "I assure them that the administration is still working toward a comprehensive immigration policy that will be rational," Bush said.

The president said he supports a bill that would "enforce the rule of law, and on the other hand, be compassionate about how this country treats people."

A Senate bill passed earlier this year includes border security measures, as well as guest worker and citizenship plans that could allow legal status for nearly 12 million undocumented immigrants.

House Republicans are opposed to guest worker and citizenship measures. They pushed through a bill in December that would crack down on illegal immigration at the border and make illegal immigration a felony offense.

To underscore their position, and their differences with the Senate bill, House Republicans scheduled 21 field hearings in 13 states over the next month, including three in Texas.

The first was held Monday in Plano.

Even though Cornyn voted against the Senate bill, he regards the House hearings as political theater and said the blame for the impasse lies with Republican leaders in both chambers for failing to reach a compromise.

"I would put the fault at the feet of Congress," said Cornyn, a member of the Judiciary Committee, which produced the Senate bill.

Republican leaders in the House and Senate have yet to name lawmakers to a conference committee that would iron out differences in the two pieces of legislation and produce a final bill that must be approved by both chambers.

To jump-start negotiations, Cornyn and three other Senate lawmakers have urged Bush to seek $3.6 billion in emergency spending to hire 500 new Border Patrol agents, 800 customs officers and provide 1,300 new detention beds.

Cornyn said spending would boost security on the Southwest border and reassure the American people that Washington is trying to correct the problem of illegal immigration before offering legalization programs.

"People think we want to eat our dessert before we eat our vegetables," Cornyn said.

Cornyn said a compromise bill introduced last week by Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, R-Texas, and Rep. Mike Pence, R-Ind., fails to immediately remedy the problem of undocumented immigration at the border.

The Hutchison proposal was attacked by House conservatives as "amnesty lite," because it contains a temporary worker plan and would allow undocumented immigrants to eventually apply for citizenship.

Cornyn also took issue with Bush's plan to place 6,000 National Guardsmen along the border, calling it a symbolic measure and a piecemeal approach to the problem.

He urged Bush to call for additional spending in the form of a supplemental bill that Congress could approve this year.

The senator said the $3.6 billion request for security items would go toward fixing the problem of broken borders and "allow us to have some melting of the ice between the House and Senate."

Earlier this year, Bush signed into law a bill that provided $1.9 billion to move National Guardsmen to the border, and provide other technological hardware for federal agents.

On Monday, the Justice Department announced it is hiring 25 new prosecutors for border states of Texas, New Mexico, Arizona and California. The program is funded by $2 million in the $1.9 billion supplemental bill.

http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/metro/ ... 04b86.html

"It will take a bold and dramatic move by the president of the United States," Cornyn told Texas reporters at the Hart Senate Office Building.

What kind of bold and dramatic move. Tell us in advance so that we can prepare ourselves. Maybe this two bit moron will just "grant amnesty" and it will be all over. Anything this sorry, miserable low-down lying, cheating, rat might do would be no surprise to the American people.

WHAT HAPPENED TO THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA? A GOVERNMENT FOR THE PEOPLE AND BY THE PEOPLE? THE PEOPLE OF THE UNITED STATES DO NOT WANT THIS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Congress and senate should be retired and the vote should be put to the American people. I can guarantee that there would be no more illegals crossing our borders. There would be no amnesty, no free ticket from American taxpayers, and the minority of illegal immigration supporters would have to fins something else to complain about.

I forgot to add...

Why do we continue to pay representitives who are refuse to listen to the people who put them in office? They should all be fired. With today's technology and advances in travel, the American people should run the government. We don't need don't need the them anymore.

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/front/4085196.html

Aug. 1, 2006, 8:20AM

Cornyn says 'bold' move needed on immigration
Texas senator thinks Bush needs to back spending for border control
By BENNETT ROTH
Copyright 2006 Houston Chronicle Washington Bureau

WASHINGTON - Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, said Monday that President Bush must make a "bold and dramatic move" to revive the prospect of major immigration legislation becoming law this year.

"To some extent the president's got some proving himself to do when it comes to his commitment" to immigration reform, said Cornyn, whose longtime allegiance to Bush has been strained over the issue.

Cornyn said that such a dramatic move would be for the president to embrace the senator's recommendation that the White House send Congress a $3.6 billion emergency spending request to pay for border control measures such as more fencing and detention beds.

In that way, the senator said, the public would be assured that Congress is committed to tough border enforcement before it considers other aspects of comprehensive immigration reform such as a guest-worker program.

"Right now as each day goes by, there is less and less chance we will fix the immigration issue," Cornyn said.

Bush is scheduled to travel Thursday to the border city of Mission, Texas, to highlight his desire for legislation that tightens border security while providing a guest-worker program and citizenship opportunities for illegal immigrants.

Cornyn has been at odds with the White House since he opposed the immigration legislation approved by the Senate, which tracks Bush's plan.

House Republicans have approved legislation for border enforcement only and have scheduled 21 hearings on the issue during the next few weeks. Cornyn said House leaders should instead negotiate compromise with the Senate.

"It is time for some adult supervision and for somebody to say, 'OK, this isn't productive' and have everybody sit down and talk to each other," he said.

bennett.roth@chron.com

Congress and senate should be retired and the vote should be put to the American people.

Amen Cindy!