http://www.lasvegassun.com/sunbin/stori ... 10117.html

March 15, 2006

Labor official says guest worker bill will pass Senate

ASSOCIATED PRESS

LAS VEGAS (AP) - Despite resistance from Republicans in the Senate, the Bush administration remains optimistic about passing a temporary worker program, a labor department official told an industry group that supports the plan on Wednesday.

"I think there's still a significant likelihood that we'll be able to get the temporary worker program out of the Senate and therefore have a balanced proposal to take to conference (committee) this year," Deputy Labor Secretary Steven Law said at a meeting of the Associated Builders and Contractors in Las Vegas.

Senate leadership has set a March 27 deadline for voting on a reform bill.

The Senate committee currently debating a guest worker program as part of a package of immigration reforms made little progress Wednesday, as backers faced resistance from opponents, including Republicans on the committee, concerned that plan grants amnesty to illegal immigrants.

Law said that to get the administration's approval, the program can't "create an automatic path to citizenship or give preference treatment or put (illegal immigrants) ahead of those who have waited their turn and followed the regular legal channels."

Law said the administration "in general" supports a plan by Sen. Arlen Specter, R-Pa., that would let workers live in the U.S. for up for four years before having to return to their home country.

Guest worker programs are popular with the construction industry, which depends heavily on immigrant labor. A temporary work program was not included in an immigration reform bill passed in the House.

Brett McMahan, a concrete contractor from Washington, D.C., attending the meeting, called the House bill's emphasis on tighter border control and law enforcement an "unmitigated disaster" for his business.

"(My employees) all get thrown out of the country and have to reapply, they're scared to death," he said, adding that 200 of his employees participated in a recent protest against the measure.

Associated Builders and Contractors, a national trade and lobbying group, says it represents 23,000 contractors and related firms.

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On the Net:

Associated Builders and Contractors: http://www.abc.org