Results 1 to 4 of 4

Thread Information

Users Browsing this Thread

There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)

  1. #1
    Senior Member Brian503a's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2005
    Location
    California or ground zero of the invasion
    Posts
    16,029

    GOP leaders hope to salvage part of immigration package

    http://www.govexec.com/dailyfed/0906/090706cdam2.htm

    September 7, 2006
    GOP leaders hope to salvage part of immigration package
    By Bill Swindell, CongressDaily


    As top House Republicans huddle Thursday to determine their next step in the heated debate over illegal immigration, limited options, a short legislative calendar before November elections and a partisan atmosphere will make it incredibly difficult to pass comprehensive legislation.

    Because of strident opposition from House conservatives, GOP leaders have given up on passing a comprehensive bill that would address the plight of the estimated 11 million individuals here illegally. But, determined to salvage something in an attempt to connect with voters, they intend to focus on boosting resources for border security.

    "The conversations about the overall bill, the larger bill, are going to continue. But in the absence of that, there [are] a lot of things that we can do to strengthen our border and we are going to," said House Majority Leader John Boehner, R-Ohio.

    The top vehicles for enacting legislation before the elections would be the fiscal 2007 Defense and Homeland Security appropriations measures, according to aides and analysts.

    The Homeland Security spending bill would appear to be a better choice because it is already in conference. The Senate bill would provide $32.8 billion in discretionary spending, which is about $800 million more than the House version.

    "It's a real train that's leaving the station," said Senate Homeland Security Appropriations Subcommittee Chairman Judd Gregg, R-N.H. Gregg served notice Wednesday he would be play a bigger role in shaping the border security debate in his bill, which would carry funding and policy initiatives.

    But he cautioned against lawmakers attempting to add extraneous provisions. "There's not going to be any highways or anything like that in there," he said.

    Gregg noted the final Homeland Security spending agreement would help reach goals of increasing border security agents by about 4,000 and the number of detention beds by about 10,000, as well as increasing Coast Guard funding by nearly $7.5 billion. The bill also would help fund new technology that could better track foreign visitors.

    Sen. Jim DeMint, R-S.C., a fiscal conservative and a hawk on border security measures, said the increasing costs of protecting borders are a cause for concern.

    "In the absence of a comprehensive immigration bill, all of our resources are focused on the border -- more financing, more fencing, more National Guard," he said. "If we can convince America that we're serious about the border, then I think it will be easier to do a guest-worker program, and to deal with the illegals that are already here. It's not going to happen before the election, but hopefully after the election we'll be able to develop a consensus on some common-sense reforms ... I don't like to spend money, but the cost of not doing it far exceeds [doing nothing], so it's the best of the worst."

    Michael Franc, director of congressional relations for the conservative Heritage Foundation, said field hearings held by House Republicans over the recess solidified their opposition to a comprehensive Senate measure, and for a get-tough approach to the border.

    "I think the field hearings and the themes that were emphasized certainly during the hearings have helped [Republicans]," Franc said. "This is a visible issue ... They [voters] turn on their TVs and see images of people coming across the border or swimming across the border. So it's a vivid issue."

    Franc said the GOP's security emphasis might help bring out the party's base in an election year in which Democrats have benefited from dissatisfaction with Iraq, gas prices and the economy.

    An aide to one House committee chairman noted that when a hearing was held in the lawmaker's district, many constituents advocated a hard-line approach. "He is a little to the left of [conservative firebrand Rep. Tom] Tancredo on the issue, but not that much. But after the hearing, he came out feeling he had a moderate position compared to the crowd," the aide said.

    Franc also said he was optimistic that more lawmakers would pitch border-security policy proposals that might be included in last-minute deals.

    For example, Rep. Mike Rogers, R-Ala., has proposed to allow the U.S. Border Patrol to temporarily expand its 12,000-member force with trained security forces drawn from the private sector. The private security forces could be dispatched to the border until new border officers could be trained, Rogers said.

    Peter Cohn and Greta Wodele contributed to this report.
    Support our FIGHT AGAINST illegal immigration & Amnesty by joining our E-mail Alerts at http://eepurl.com/cktGTn

  2. #2
    Senior Member crazybird's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2006
    Location
    Joliet, Il
    Posts
    10,175
    "If we can convince America that we're serious about the border, then I think it will be easier to do a guest-worker program,

    WE ALREADY HAVE A GUEST WORKER PROGRAM!!! These people just won't leave. There needs to be enforcement of the existing laws to prove that we are serious and everyone doesn't have the right to stay here just coz they want to or just coz they dropped some kids. Enforce the EXIT plan before you start letting more in.
    Join our efforts to Secure America's Borders and End Illegal Immigration by Joining ALIPAC's E-Mail Alerts network (CLICK HERE)

  3. #3
    Senior Member sippy's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2006
    Location
    Salt Lake City, UT
    Posts
    3,798
    "In the absence of a comprehensive immigration bill, all of our resources are focused on the border -- more financing, more fencing, more National Guard," he said. "If we can convince America that we're serious about the border, then I think it will be easier to do a guest-worker program, and to deal with the illegals that are already here. It's not going to happen before the election, but hopefully after the election we'll be able to develop a consensus on some common-sense reforms ... I don't like to spend money, but the cost of not doing it far exceeds [doing nothing], so it's the best of the worst
    You've got a hell of a lot of convincing to do Senator DeMint.
    And yes we already have a guest worker program, and the only way to deal w/ the 20 million here is to start deporting each and every one of them who is here illegaly.
    "Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting the same results is the definition of insanity. " Albert Einstein.

  4. #4

    Join Date
    Jan 1970
    Posts
    185
    Because of strident opposition from House conservatives, GOP leaders have given up on passing a comprehensive bill that would address the plight of the estimated 11 million individuals here illegally. But, determined to salvage something in an attempt to connect with voters, they intend to focus on boosting resources for border security.
    Parsed:
    What Congress is now going to concentrate on is further implementation of the "North American smart, secure borders" one of the facets of the SPP Agreement for Corporations toward a North American Union.
    "Border Security" is a phrase meant to throw you off track from what it really stands for. Just like "Comprehensive Immigration Reform" is Amnesty with SPP Agreements thrown in.

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •