Thread: Immigration Supporters Step Up Lobbying as Senate Bill Stall

Immigration Supporters Step Up Lobbying as Senate Bill Stalls

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid= ... Q&refer=us

By Nicholas Johnston and James Rowley

June 20 (Bloomberg) -- Business and religious groups are swarming Capitol Hill to lobby lawmakers to support a proposed overhaul of immigration law that has encountered fresh resistance in the Senate.

The legislation's backers, ranging from technology companies and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce to the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops and Latino groups, are turning up the heat in an effort to garner the 15 additional votes needed to pass the measure, which would create a path to citizenship for 12 million illegal immigrants. They are focusing mainly on Republicans who helped derail the bill earlier this month.

So far, said Arizona Senator Jon Kyl, the chief Republican negotiator who helped craft the latest compromise, the outcome remains in doubt. ``I am not confident of anything,'' he said.

Supporters of the measure who had focused on its shortcomings were taken aback two weeks ago when it appeared it could be killed altogether and have now changed to a much more proactive role.

``A lot of these interest groups, rather than trying to deal with every imperfection, are trying to save the bill now,'' said Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, a Republican sponsor of the measure.

President George W. Bush, who has been lobbying fellow Republicans to pass the measure, has made the plan the centerpiece of his second-term domestic agenda, though some Republicans and grassroots opponents say it would amount to amnesty for lawbreakers. The measure also includes a guest-worker program favored by U.S. businesses seeking a stream of cheap labor.

Amendments

Democratic and Republican leaders are pressing ahead with plans to bring it up again next week by crafting an agreement to consider about two dozen amendments to the bill.

Only the amendments contained in the agreement, which is still being drafted by party leaders, would be considered during debate.

``They just want to completely close out everybody,'' South Carolina Republican Jim DeMint said. ``What they're doing here is trading votes for amendments.''

Senators said business groups, starting with the technology industry, are focusing on Republicans who voted against an effort two weeks ago to halt debate on the measure and bring it to a vote. Supporters of the legislation said they believe about a half-dozen Republicans probably now hold the key to the legislation's fate.

Software Companies

Technology companies such as Google Inc., the Mountain View, California-based owner of the most popular Internet search engine, and Redmond, Washington-based Microsoft Corp., the world's largest software maker, are concentrating on Republican senators such as Christopher Bond of Missouri, Judd Gregg of New Hampshire and Bob Bennett of Utah.

The National Restaurant Association, which represents an industry that employs many undocumented workers, has asked all of its 50 state affiliates and members to contact senators personally over the past few weeks. ``Even the ones who are leaning against, we want them to hear from us,'' said John Gay, the Washington-based association's senior vice president.

Religious and Latino groups have also kicked into high gear. Kevin Applebee, director of migration and refugee policy for the Washington-based U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, said his group is focusing on about eight senators, including Republicans Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins of Maine, Pete Domenici of New Mexico, and John Warner of Virginia.

Clergymen Call

He said his group is organizing calls to the lawmakers from clergy in their states. Senators said Cardinal Roger Mahony, archbishop of Los Angeles, and Cardinal Theodore McCarrick, former archbishop of Washington, are lobbying lawmakers.

``We're going to let the senators know that it should move forward,'' Applebee said.

Latino groups, meanwhile, delivered 1 million signatures to lawmakers calling for passage of immigration legislation last week.

Around the country, particularly in states with large Hispanic populations such as California, Latino radio stations have been pumping up the bill. Republican Senator Mel Martinez of Florida and Democratic Senator Ted Kennedy of Massachusetts, two drafters of the Senate compromise, met last week with Latin radio personality Eddie ``Piolin'' Sotelo to receive the signatures in a park across from the Capitol.

The Bush administration has also significantly increased its efforts on behalf of the immigration bill. Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutierrez, who has been Bush's point man on the issue, has traveled across the country to rally public support.

Nights and Weekends

``We have to do everything we possibly can to get this legislation passed,'' Gutierrez said in an interview. The administration is doing ``whatever needs to be done, whether it's in the morning, or the night or over the weekend,'' he said.

At the White House, each day begins with a 7 a.m. conference call led by legislative director Candida Wolff. ``We talk about what was learned overnight and plan for the day,'' said Kevin Sullivan, the White House communications director.

Bush is ``completely engaged'' and attends many of the meetings, while also making calls and hosting lawmakers at the White House in private sessions, Sullivan said.

Almost everyone, including the Bush administration, realizes the next 10 days may make or break any immigration measure, said Bruce Josten, executive vice president at the Washington-based U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the largest trade group. ``If this dies, I think the game's over,'' Josten said.

So now they're not illegal immigrants, coyotes, law breakers, and exploiters, they're "immigration supporters"?

The media just pisses me off when they ignore the obvious agenda at work here.

If the pathetic arguments for amnesty put forth in this article make 5 more people mad as hell, it will have been worth having it out there.

We need to step up our campaign these other groups are getting worried about no amnesty or no bill at all! they want to be heard, we need to be louder than them!!

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You're right SOSAD. They are so concerned that AMNESTY may go down in flames that they now will accept any bill that provides for mass legalization of illegals, whatever other stipulations are contained.

Of course, they helped craft this bill from the get-go and were the STAKEHOLDERS who held veto power, while American CITIZENS were blocked out of the process and are STILL being ignored by many RENEGADE AMNESTY SENATORS!

I think we have them on the run Kate, way better than the one being chased huh!!

As you know, we're up against VERY powerful, well-funded forces, SO we must outwork them and keep the pressure on through all channels: calls, faxes, emails, calls to talk radio, donating to ALIPAC, FAIR, NumbersUSA, visits to congressional offices, blogging, telling our family and friends etc.

SO DON'T LET UP MY FRIENDS!