Thread: IMMIGRATION UPDATE: GOP Pushes Discharge For Shuler Bill

IMMIGRATION UPDATE: GOP Pushes Discharge For Shuler Border Bill

As reported earlier today, March 6 on HAI’s RotorNews, House Republicans are soliciting signatures for a petition that will force a floor vote on an immigration enforcement bill sponsored by Congressman Heath Shuler, D-North Carolina.

The effort would set up a platform for political attacks in the November elections, highlighting the GOP view that Congress should get tough on the border before addressing guest-worker visas or illegal immigrants.

HAI has learned GOP leadership sources said they hope to bring the discharge petition to the floor next week, but two factors are holding back the effort -- reaching a target number of 170 signatories and coordinating the move with the presidential campaign of Senator John McCain, R-Arizona, the presumptive Republican nominee.

As the sponsor of a bill that would allow illegal immigrants to earn legal status, McCain has differed with a large portion of his party on immigration issues. Some Republicans fear McCain's support for earned legalization could undermine Republican turnout in November. Democrats also are homing in on McCain's relatively liberal stance on immigration compared to base Republican voters. Senator Robert Menendez, D-New Jersey today issued a statement calling on McCain to denounce a series of Republican-sponsored immigration enforcement bills that were introduced earlier this week.

"I am calling on Senator McCain, as his party's presumptive nominee, to reject this draconian approach to immigration reform, which would demonize the Latino community," Menendez said. "As a past sponsor of comprehensive immigration reform who has since said he would have voted against his own bill, it is important for Senator McCain to define his position on this cynical Republican effort."

Although they are not expecting to win enough signatures to force a floor vote in the House, GOP aides and lawmakers have acknowledged privately that the move is intended to put pressure on vulnerable Democrats. Several Democratic co-sponsors of Congressman Shuler's bill, such as Congressmen Jason Altmire and Chris Carney of Pennsylvania and Nick Lampson of Texas, are on GOP target lists for the fall elections.

"Whatever Democrats sign onto it, will add the pressure on others," said one GOP leadership source. But sources say only seven Democrats who co-sponsor Shuler's bill have committed to sign a discharge petition. Democratic leaders were whipping their members on the floor Tuesday night about whether they would sign onto the discharge petition on Shuler's bill. House leaders made it clear at that time that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-California) did not want rank-and-file lawmakers to enable the Republican effort.

One Democratic co-sponsor of Shuler's bill, Congressman Artur Davis of Alabama, said he would not sign the discharge petition and said he does not feel any pressure to do so. "Voters know what you are for," said Davis. "I am for the bill. Voters know nothing about discharge petitions or motions to recommit." Davis said that any immigration vote will be a problem for Democrats because of the potential for GOP procedural tactics and efforts to change the bill. "The subject of motion-to-recommits or amendments will not be pleasant for the Democratic party," he said.

Congressman Lincoln Davis, D-Tennessee, also a co-sponsor of Congressman Shuler's bill, also said he would refuse to sign the discharge petition. "I'm not going to join the minority in trying to embarrass the majority," he said. "I don't play games with anyone, Democrats or Republicans."

Republicans also hope the discharge petition effort might force Democrats into bringing their immigration bill to the floor, likely an amalgam of limited proposals on guest-worker visas, green cards, and the unauthorized population. A Democratic-led immigration floor debate would give the GOP a forum for political attacks without the stigma of a political loss with the petition.

Congressman Xavier Becerra, D-California, said the discharge petition would not help bipartisan talks on an immigration bill. "The discharge petition doesn't make anyone feel like this is real. This is gotcha politics," he said. "I think what we're trying to say is that, 'Is there something that brings people together, bipartisan?' And then we'll deal with what folks are saying and we'll see what's real."

Congressman Brian Bilbray, R-California, who chairs the House Immigration Reform Caucus, has been involved in selling Congressman Shuler's bill to Republicans. Bilbray thinks Shuler's bill represents the best compromise between previous House and Senate bills. "It eliminates the felony language that was in the [House] bill and it eliminates the amnesty that's in the [Senate] package," he said. However, Bilbray said a discharge petition on Shuler's bill would raise the hackles of many members. "A lot of people in this town haven't seen a discharge petition. I signed one myself and I know what kind of hell you get for it."

Next week will be an interesting week in the House as events continue to unfold in Washington as Democrats and Republicans further debate immigration issues. HAI will continue to track the Shuler bill and provide updates.

Posted on Thursday, March 06, 2008 (Archive on Monday, January 01, 0001)
Posted by rotornews

http://www.rotor.com/Default.aspx?tabid ... d905=58117

i would like to know William's opinion of this bill and does he worry it could be changed as it goes forward which could result that may be worse than we have now.

Although this would put them at odds with their leader Pelosi, I wish more Dems (especially those who have cosponsored SAVE) would support the discharge petition so there could be a vote on SAVE. But it doesn't look like there will be.