Schumer Points to the Fall for Amnesty Proposal

Schumer Points to the Fall for Amnesty Proposal
Friday, August 7, 2009, 10:52 AM


Sen. Chuck Schumer
Senate Immigration Subcommittee Chair Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) said he'll unveil a proposal for immigration reform and amnesty shortly after the summer recess. The publication Congress Daily is reporting that despite an intense battle over health care reform, Schumer still plans to launch at least an outline of his plan, if not proposed legislation.

Schumer hasn't given a specific date for his announcement, but it should be shortly after Labor Day.

"You have to deal with immigration comprehensively. If you don't do it as a comprehensive bill, any one group could try to block it," Schumer said in a Congress Daily report. "This is very complicated, but we're making excellent progress on many fronts."

Ranking Member of the Immigration Subcommittee John Cornyn (R-Texas) said he hasn't been involved in drawing up the outline, but said once a plan is laid out, he'll ensure it meets his goals.

"I look forward to seeing Sen. Schumer's proposals [and] I will work to ensure that any legislation is consistent with my strong and long-held principles on this complex issue," Cornyn told Congress Daily.

During a series of subcommittee hearings, Schumer has tried to show that stepped up security has stopped the flow of illegal border crossings and he's pushed for a biometrics workplace verification tool over the tested and proven E-Verify.

Also earlier this week, a coalition of business groups sent Congress a letter showing their support for the free flow of both high- and low-skilled workers.

The group includes the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, American Farm Bureau and National Association of Manufacturers.
The letter did not address the issue of an independent commission that would evaluate economic conditions to determine immigration flow.

The independent commission was offered by the AFL-CIO who expressed their support for an amnesty bill if it created the commission. The commission could become a potential wedge issue for the pro-amnesty coalition.

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