Thread: General - Past, Current, and Future Legislative Events

Hey Everyone,

Just wanted to include some notes with respect to immigration legislation and touch upon the most important things on the collective 'radar'. Basically, this will be a 'let's make sure we're all on the same page' sort of post...

1. Next Up: Senate AgJobs (the "Farm Bill")

As many are aware, the 'Farm Bill' (AgJobs) is the next big legislative effort to address. According to NumbersUSA, it is expected to be introduced later this week and likely debated early next week.

Sen Harkin (D-IA) chairs the Senate Ag Subcommittee. He has expressed publicly that he does not want AgJobs to be included in the overall Farm Bill. (I don't know whether that will prove to be a significant factor in holding it back however...). Also, whereas the DREAM Act had 40+ cosponsors, the AgJobs has 30. So, this may also suggest it's ability to make it through to passage in the end as well. In any case, we'll need your participation as before to defeat it [yes, once again...!]


2. Post Mortem: Senate DREAM Act

Yes, we know it was beaten back (once again). I have not heard any specific timeline nor action about it being brought back either by the House or Senate. If someone should come across some specific info on the subject, please do post about it on the forum somewhere / somehow.


3. Possibly Overlooked: Ensign Amend(s) to Labor/HHS Bill (HR3043)

Also, please do not forget about the two amendments offered by Sen. Ensign (R-NV) which addressed the following:

a). Prohibit the Social Security Totalization Agreement (NOT TREATY!) with Mexico from going forward (Amend# 3342)

b). Prohibit people that have worked illegally in the US from receiving Social Security Benefits (Amend# 3352)

If you care at all about your current and especially future social security benefits and the overall solvency of the system, well, these would be very nice bills to see passed into law.

Current Status - Has gone to committee for resolution of Senate vs. House differences. The President has indicated he will veto it if the final bill includes the $9+ billion included in the most recent version of the bill. Let's hope - knock on wood - that by sheer luck these amendments do make it through in tact and become law.

Oh, also Sen Dorgan (D-ND) included a small, but related amendment to HR3043 that requires a study be done about the loss of jobs after the implementation of NAFTA. Amend# 3345. This would also be a nice addition to the amendments above.


4. Other Stuff : US House, Rep Shuler's (D-NC) SAVE Act

We'll keep an eye on this one as well. On the surface, it appears to address, quite seriously, the dire need for interior/workplace enforcement. Reducing the magnet for illegal employment in the US. While there have not been any focus efforts ramped up here to support it (well, yet), stay informed and aware that this could also require some swift and concerted support as well.

That's it - we'll keep everyone posted....stay tuned.


PS. The senate is in session again (in a break at this very moment). So far, Farm Bill (AgJobs) has not been introduced to the best of my knowledge (yes, there are people like me that actually monitor this stuff on a fairly regular basis - no matter how painful, boring, etc....)
"We watch this stuff so you don't have to!"

If anyone has additional info or corrections, please do let myself or someone else know - many thanks in advance.

Thanks for the informative update Phred. Right now, I'm focusing my efforts against AgJOBS as this seems to be the most time sensitive at the moment.

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Call the Senate: NO AgJOBS Amnesty !

Populist - Yes, that's one of the ideas I was trying to get across in the above.
Thanks for the nice words.

Phred,

Yes, you got your point across clearly as usual...I hope we get enough people involved fighting this. NO means NO !

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Call the Senate: NO AgJOBS Amnesty !