Analysis: Immigration Bill All but Assured
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Analysis: Immigration Bill All but Assured
Staff and agencies
11 May, 2006
By DAVID ESPO, AP Special Correspondent 22 minutes ago
WASHINGTON - After months of partisan maneuvering, Senate passage of sweeping immigration legislation is virtually assured by Memorial Day. But that scarcely ends the struggle in Congress, given the vast differences between President Bush and House Republicans over the fate of millions of illegal immigrants.
What changed was that after weeks of exchanging insults, Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist of Tennessee and Minority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., agreed on a procedural compromise that gives the bill‘s critics ample opportunity to offer amendments. It also offers assurances to Democrats that Senate negotiators will not simply capitulate to demands of House conservatives in talks on compromise legislation later in the year.
"We congratulate the Senate on reaching agreement and we look forward to passage of a bill prior to Memorial Day," said Dana Perino, deputy White House press secretary. Reid and Frist exchanged compliments on the Senate floor. Mexico‘s foreign secretary said in a statement that the deal was a "positive step toward the approval of a migration accord."
Looking ahead, the White House is searching for ways to assure conservatives that Bush understands their concerns. White House strategist Karl Rove met with lawmakers earlier in the week, and at least one session included a discussion about making greater use of National Guard troops to shore up border security.
"The National Guard can in some cases help do that," he added. Other lawmakers said they expected Bush to announce border security improvements next week, possibly in a speech in Arizona or another border states.
Rep. D, , ), R-Calif., offered his view of the importance of immigrant labor: "I say let the prisoners pick the fruits."
Given Bush‘s recent erosion of support among conservatives, as measured in polls, there‘s been no evident change in sentiment among his congressional critics.
Bush and top House Republicans reviewed the issue last week at a private White House meeting, according to several officials, and the president urged the GOP congressional leadership to embrace his call for comprehensive legislation. That means provisions to strengthen border security, coupled with a guest worker program that — while the president doesn‘t say so in public — provides a chance at citizenship for millions of illegal immigrants.
House Speaker Dennis Hastert , R-Ill. and other leaders stressed that would be a hard sell with their rank and file. Bush restated his desire for a comprehensive bill, and the leadership responded by noting the sentiment of the rank and file, according to officials familiar with the conversation. They spoke on condition of anonymity, given the private nature of the meetings.
EDITOR‘S NOTE — David Espo is chief congressional correspondent for The Associated Press.
