Thread: Hilleary, Bryant Hit Immigration Amnesty, Frist Favors

http://www.chattanoogan.com/articles/article_86509.asp

Hilleary, Bryant Hit Immigration Amnesty, Frist Favors, Alexander Against

Van Hilleary and Ed Bryant, Republican candidates for Tennessee’s open U.S. Senate seat, expressed disapproval over the Immigration bill passed by the U.S. Senate today.

Hilleary said he would not have voted for the bill and "called on conservatives in the House to stand strong in their opposition to amnesty and their commitment to border security."

He said, “The immigration bill passed by the U.S. Senate is unacceptable. Not only does it grant amnesty to millions of illegal immigrants who have broken the law but it also requires the United States to get Mexico’s approval before any physical barrier is constructed along our southern border.

“The pro-amnesty legislation passed by the Senate is outrageous. We are a nation based on the rule of law and we must uphold our laws. I encourage conservatives in the House to stand strong and reject any legislation that grants amnesty.”

Hilleary said that if the Senate "refuses to pass sensible immigration reform then at the very least Congress must immediately pass legislation that secures the southern border."

Hilleary said he is an advocate of a multi-pronged approach to border security, which includes a high-tech physical barrier along parts of the southern border, increased border patrol, authorization of local law enforcement to arrest and detain illegal immigrants, and use the military for border security. Hilleary said he also supports the use of high-tech surveillance that includes low earth orbit stationary satellites and pilot-less reconnaissance drones to monitor the border.

“It is a national security issue and a fundamental function of the federal government to secure our borders. It is ludicrous for the U.S. Senate to require Mexico’s permission to secure our borders,” said Hilleary. “This is just another example of why we need solid conservatives in the U.S. Senate who will stand up and fight for our values and secure our borders--even if it means standing up to moderates in our own party.”

Hilleary said he had "not seen such a disconnect between what the people want and what elected officials are insisting on since the Income Tax debate. Just like I stood up to Don Sundquist and the pro-income tax wing of the Party, Tennesseans can count on me to stand up and fight for our conservative values in the U.S. Senate.”

Bryant said, "I oppose the Senate's immigration bill and would have voted against it because this bill includes an amnesty proposal for millions of aliens who entered our country illegally. This legislation would move our immigration policy in the wrong direction.

"The Senate was right to take a comprehensive approach to our immigration problems – beginning with stronger enforcement at the border and continuing on to improve internal tracking and workplace enforcement – but allowing illegal aliens a path to citizenship, and for others to become 'guest workers,' sends the wrong signal to law-abiding Americans and to those waiting in their home countries waiting to legally emigrate, and it only encourages those poised on our borders to go ahead and try to enter our country illegally.

"We must strengthen security at the border, refuse to tolerate illegal behavior, and make sure the federal government does not abdicate its constitutional responsibility to secure our borders. We need comprehensive immigration reform, but we don't need amnesty, or any other reward for illegal behavior."

Sen. Lamar Alexander voted against the Immigration Reform bill.

“This bill has been greatly improved, but does not do enough to secure our borders to allow me to vote yes,” Alexander said. “I am disappointed to vote no because Congress should not end the year without taking strong steps to secure our borders, to define the legal status of foreign students and workers, and to help prospective citizens learn English and U.S. history so they can become Americans.”

“After we negotiate with the House of Representatives, I hope there will be comprehensive immigration legislation that I can support,” Alexander added.

The Immigration Reform bill passed the Senate by a vote of 62 to 36. The Senate bill must go to a House–Senate conference committee where conferees will resolve differences with the House bill.

U.S. Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist delivered these remarks on the Senate floor prior to passage of the Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act:

“Today I am proud to say that the Senate has acted.

“We’ve taken a bill, and we’ve made it better. We’ve taken a bill that the American people would have concluded was amnesty—and by my lights, we took the amnesty out while we put the security in.

“So this bill we are about to pass has a six-year plan to dramatically increase the number of border patrol agents hired, trained, and deployed to the southern border.

“The bill before us provides substantial reinforcement to our borders and to the laws on the books. And it also provides a means for some to earn citizenship while enforcing necessary restrictions.

“No, this product isn’t perfect. Much more refinement needs to be done.

“But without doubt, the amendments and the debate of the past 2 weeks have strengthened the core of this bill.

“I am grateful to my colleagues for insisting that those amendments be heard.

“Every nation must keep its citizens safe, and its borders secure. We shouldn’t have to choose between respect for our history and respect for our laws.

“With hard work and responsible debate here, we can have both.

“On this floor, we have engaged in responsible debate. Over the last several months we have worked hard. And with the bill before us, today we do have both.”

This sounds like the American ranch owners on the borders are going to have to build their own fences, on their own land...or would Prez Fox have to approve that too?

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http://www.alipac.us/article1244.html