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Bush to Press Congress for Guest-Worker Program, Tancredo Says

Sept. 20 (Bloomberg) -- President George W. Bush will push this year for legislation overhauling immigration laws, including creating a new guest-worker program, said U.S. Representative Tom Tancredo, chairman of the House Immigration Reform Caucus.

The Bush administration has met with Republican lawmakers to press the issue and will likely urge party leaders such as House Speaker Dennis Hastert to hold votes on immigration measures before the end of the congressional session, Tancredo said.

``Certainly there will be a tremendous amount of pressure to do something before Thanksgiving,'' Tancredo, a Colorado Republican who opposes Bush's guest-worker plan, said in an interview. ``The president wants it. They're not going to tell him no.''

Bush has made an overhaul of immigration laws, including a new program to allow immigrants to temporarily work in the U.S., a priority for his second term. The legislative fight on the issue is likely to split Republicans, Tancredo said.

``It will be a terribly divisive thing in the party,'' he said. Tancredo said he opposes any guest-worker program that allows those in the U.S. illegally to stay and would delay any such program until the borders are deemed secure.

White House Deputy Chief of Staff Karl Rove met with House Republicans last week to reiterate the administration's desire to pass a comprehensive bill this year.

``It was very encouraging,'' Arizona Republican Jeff Flake, an attendee at the meeting, said in an interview. ``I don't think it's a sure thing. I think it's likely. And it's more likely than most people thought.''

Comprehensive

Flake said the administration will push for comprehensive legislation that includes border security, workplace enforcement and a new guest-worker program. Tancredo said two measures introduced in the Senate creating a guest-worker program would face opposition in the House.

Legislation in the Senate backed by Massachusetts Democrat Ted Kennedy and Arizona Republican John McCain would let undocumented immigrants work legally in the country after paying a fine. A competing measure sponsored by Republicans John Cornyn of Texas and Jon Kyl of Arizona creates a guest-worker program that requires undocumented immigrants to return home before applying to work in the U.S. legally.

Proposals put forward by Rove last week closely tracked the Kennedy/McCain measure, said Flake, who has introduced the legislation in the House.

`Hell of a Battle'

``It's going to be one hell of a battle,'' Tancredo said.

It's ``possible'' the measure backed by Cornyn and Kyl could garner support from a majority of Republicans in the House, while the McCain/Kennedy bill could not, he said.

The Kyl/Cornyn bill, he said ``certainly has a better chance than McCain. I think that one is DOA,'' for dead on arrival.

Flake said there is limited House support for Tancredo's immigration position.

``The Tancredo caucus, in terms of wanting the Tancredo approach, is pretty small,'' Flake said.

Tancredo also said the U.S. Congress should delay a prescription drug benefit for seniors enrolled in Medicare as a way to offset relief costs for Hurricane Katrina.

``That would save significant dollars,'' Tancredo said.

The benefit is scheduled to begin in January. He said lawmakers also should consider reducing farm subsidies and selling off federal land to offset costs for Katrina, which hit Louisiana, Alabama and Mississippi on Aug. 29. Other lawmakers, including McCain, also have called for delaying or canceling the prescription drug benefit.

White House press secretary Scott McClellan indicated yesterday that the administration would oppose delaying the drug benefit.

``It's important to move forward, and we are'' with the prescription drug plan, McClellan said at a news briefing.