Thread: Texas businesses lean on senators

Texas businesses lean on senators
Posted on: Friday, May 25, 2007
By Suzanne Gamboa
The Associated Press

WASHINGTON – Texas business leaders are pressuring the state's Republican senators to back the immigration reform bill now being debated in the Senate.

A coalition of Texas businesses published an open letter to Sens. Kay Bailey Hutchison and John Cornyn in Thursday's editions of The Dallas Morning News, to "express the urgency in supporting passage of comprehensive immigration reform."

"We hope both Republican senators from Texas would get behind this bill. We think it's a unique opportunity and we need to finish the job," said Bill Hammond, president of the Texas Association of Business and a board member of Texas Employers for Immigration Reform.

The coalition members said the state and national economy would be damaged and businesses would face a labor shortage if Congress doesn't complete work on an immigration bill.

Their position mirrors that of a fellow Texan, President Bush, whose administration has been pushing through Congress a bill to provide illegal immigrants legal status and create a temporary worker program. Under the proposal, some immigrants would have to leave the country and re-enter before they could legally work.

In a conference call with reporters, business leaders said nothing can be gained from requiring the illegal immigrants to leave and re-enter the country.

"To ask them to return home and touch back is going to put a unique burden on them and on employers," said Cliff Butler, vice chairman of Pilgrim's Pride, based in Pittsburg.

Hutchison said she would try to amend the part of the Senate bill that would allow illegal immigrants to obtain four-year, indefinitely renewable Z visas that allow them to remain in the country and work and only have to return to their home countries if they want to become legal residents.

She said her amendment "will take the amnesty out of the bill and require that before a person can work in the country legally, if they are here illegally, they would have to go home and apply outside the country." Her plan would be to give the immigrant two years to leave after registering with the federal government.

Cornyn backed a similar proposal in a bill he sponsored last year.

Cornyn and Hutchison were involved in negotiations on the compromise bill, but aren't among the senators moving the bill.

Cornyn said he understands the business coalition's position and spoke with them Thursday.

"However, there are several aspects of the current bill that I'm very concerned about ... But I'm committed to improving this legislation to make sure we balance security with the needs of Texas employers," Cornyn said.

Hutchison said she rejects arguments that the millions of illegal immigrants can't be made to leave the country. "I think we can," she said.

J. Carnes, president of Winter Garden Produce in Uvalde, Texas, said the state already is seeing labor shortages. With the state's thriving economy, he said he has about half the workers in fields than he had in previous years and the number will continue to dwindle without reform.

"It's not just immigrants who benefit from work," he said. "If you have a farmer and rancher who employs immigrant labor all the businesses who supply that ranch or farm benefit from having those immigration workers," Hammond said.

The senators have previously found themselves in a dilemma with immigration legislation. Both voted for a bill mandating 700 miles of fence on the border, including some in Texas.

As government officials have begun contacting land owners about possible use of their land for the fence, those land owners, local officials and business leaders have protested, questioning its effect on their economy and binational way of life.

The senators responded to the protests late Wednesday with an amendment to the immigration bill that would mandate Homeland Security Department cooperation with local officials on the fence. The amendment, passed on a voice vote, was sponsored by Hutchison and co-sponsored by Cornyn.

http://www.kdhnews.com/news/story.aspx?id=16160

Kay Bailey Hutchinson was interviewed just minutes ago on MSNBC. She said that ALL illegals must go home and apply to come back LEGALLY. Giving them Z-visas and sending the head of the household home, was unacceptable.

Texans I hope you go after these Texas Senators when they get home for the holiday with everything you've got, don't let these business men get their way. Time to show them what happens when you piss off Americans, ROAR with the BOOO @ HISSES its time for the people to be heard!!


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To everybody out there hanging in the backround yes you!! we invite you to...
let your voices be heard, Its time to get involved, calls, faxes, and e-mails, post at the link below to let everyone know what you are hearing, it helps our leaders to make decisions on what steps to take next. Lets let congress know what real Americans Want!!

http://www.alipac.us/modules.php?name=F ... c&p=363412

Check out Operation Bring it Home also and get your home towns involved!!

http://www.alipac.us/modules.php?name=F ... ic&t=63288

If anyone can't find information for contacting senators or not sure what to do, just ask, someone will help you, We have lots 0f nice people just waiting to help you!!

HINT: EASY WAY TO HELP OUT.....When you post on another site with good patriotic Americans leave behind a Momentous message, the link to ALIPAC ( http://www.alipac.us/index.php ).
Any donations to help keep ALIPAC afloat will be much appreciated

Originally Posted by girlygirl369

Kay Bailey Hutchinson was interviewed just minutes ago on MSNBC. She said that ALL illegals must go home and apply to come back LEGALLY. Giving them Z-visas and sending the head of the household home, was unacceptable.

Did Kay Bailey Hutchison say giving them Z-visas and sending the head of the household home, was unacceptable? Or you?

She said it.

Cornyn and Hutchison better remember one thing, businesses don't vote, but we do. All the political funding in the world, won't matter, if we the people don't vote for you.

Originally Posted by WavTek

Cornyn and Hutchison better remember one thing, businesses don't vote, but we do. All the political funding in the world, won't matter, if we the people don't vote for you.

Just to be cynical, I could reply something about the business Diebold being the only voter that votes any more.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid ... raud&hl=en
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8JESZiLpBLE