Thread: Immig Bill Readies for Vote but Hurdles Remain

http://www.latimes.com/news/politics/la ... 4459.story

Immigration bill readies for vote, but hurdles remain

By Nicole Gaouette and Noam N. Levey, Times Staff Writer
8:36 PM PDT, June 27, 2007

WASHINGTON -- WASHINGTON -- Supporters of the Senate immigration bill rebuffed all but one of the most serious challenges to the legislation Wednesday, setting up a critical vote Thursday that could decide its fate.

In a series of votes steadily interrupted by Republicans intent on stalling the proceedings, lawmakers rejected amendments aimed at gutting two key features: provisions that would allow illegal immigrants to seek legal status and provisions that would shift the basis for future immigration from the current emphasis on family ties.

But the legislation -- the most ambitious attempt to overhaul immigration laws in two decades -- suffered a major setback late Wednesday when lawmakers approved an amendment that the bill's backers and the Bush administration said would undermine its effectiveness. The measure targeted the bill's work-site enforcement section, removing all provisions that required so-called "Real ID" driver's licenses -- tamper-proof, secure identification that does not yet exist but that the bill's backers consider essential to cracking down on illegal hiring.

Repeated objections from Republican opponents meant that the Senate could not consider other amendments to toughen enforcement against illegal immigrants. The bill's backers had hoped those amendments would bolster Republican support.

Without that incentive, the bipartisan team behind the bill will have to convince skeptical colleagues to support the legislation in exchange for promises that the enforcement measures can be added later.

It was unclear whether they would be able to round up the 60 votes needed to close the debate Thursday and move to a final tally. "I'm feeling challenged," said Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., a member of the bipartisan team. "We're going to do our best."

As the Senate wound down Wednesday night, Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, D-Mass., the bill's central Democratic architect, urged members to "exercise best judgment" on Thursday's "important and decisive vote" and reminded them that they could keep working on the bill.

Sen. Jeff Sessions, R-Ala., a staunch opponent, insisted there was an erosion of support and asked his colleagues to "end this thing tomorrow." Sessions said it "can't be fixed in its present form."

This would be a blow to President Bush, who has pinned his hopes on a bill, like the Senate's, that addresses enforcement and border security, creates a temporary worker program and legalizes most of the country's estimated 12 million illegal immigrants.

Most of the votes Wednesday retained the bill's delicate balance of measures meant to appeal to Republicans and Democrats but that also have alienated lawmakers in both parties. Some wavering lawmakers whose votes could prove critical had pinned their decisions on the fate of the day's amendments.

"I'm definitely a probably no," said Sen. Jim Webb, D-Va., immediately after the Senate rejected his amendment to restrict legalization to illegal immigrants who have been in the country at least four years.

Bush pressed the issue of immigration reform in a January 2004 speech. Attempts to pass legislation last year fizzled even as immigrants marched in Los Angeles and other cities.

Soon after Democrats came to power in Congress in early 2007, they announced that immigration legislation would be a priority, one of the few areas of agreement with Bush. Top administration officials began meeting with Republicans to find a position that would unite the party and eventually began working with Kennedy, Feinstein and other Democrats to fashion the bipartisan bill.

But opposition has surged, in part over concerns that the administration could not be trusted to secure the border and that the legalization provision was an "amnesty," even though illegal immigrants would have to pay fines and fees, and meet other requirements.

Two Georgia Republicans who helped write the bill, Saxby Chambliss and Johnny Isakson, eventually retracted their support. Through they had asked for upfront funding for border security and won it, Chambliss complained the $4.4 billion added to the bill wasn't structured in a way that guaranteed it would be spent on border security.

As the Senate opened for business Wednesday, Sen. Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania, a key Republican member of the bipartisan team, compared the coming debate to "trench warfare."

Throughout the morning, the bill's supporters engaged in a procedural jousting match with opponents who protested the lack of time to study the bill and the 26 amendments that were allowed in the debate.

Sessions, Sen. Jeff DeMint, R-S.C., and Sen. David Vitter, R-La., used procedural objections to delay progress and ultimately stall votes on any more amendments after the 52-45 Real ID vote.

"They tried to railroad this through today," said DeMint, "but we derailed the train."

"I'm feeling challenged," said Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., a member of the bipartisan team. "We're going to do our best."

That is as it should be! You're an elitist crook and should be behind bars. Be that as it may, you certainly don't deserve anything good to happen for you.

That is as it should be! You're an elitist crook and should be behind bars. Be that as it may, you certainly don't deserve anything good to happen for you

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That is Damn straight

"I'm feeling challenged," said Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., a member of the bipartisan team. "We're going to do our best."

I hope the people of California rise up an remove that old battle ax from office with a recall.

"I'm feeling challenged," said Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., a member of the bipartisan team.

I hope tomorrow you are feeling constipated and your hemorrhoids are swollen and throbbing.....you old bag of gas.