Press Release by Mary Landrieu
Landrieu: Immigration Bill
Falls Short on Essential Reform
Votes no on controversial immigration bill.
WASHINGTON – United States Senator Mary L. Landrieu, D-La., today released the following statement after voting against cloture on S. 1348, the immigration bill. The procedural motion, which would have limited further debate and allowed a final vote on the bill, required 60 votes to pass but failed by 34 for to 61 against.
Sen. Landrieu said:
“I voted no today because the floor debate and amendment process have failed to produce a balanced bill. I had last month voted to move forward with a debate on the legislation in hopes that it would be improved by amendment, but despite a good effort, that has just not happened.
“The guest worker program proposed in the bill is virtually unenforceable and its structure does little to help employers short on skilled workers, instead encouraging overstaying and more illegal behavior. The legalization rules laid out give greater preference for those in the country illegally than they do for authorized guest workers or family members of U.S. citizens. This is not fair. If we are to provide a path to earned citizenship, the first people in line should be those who have played by the rules and followed the law.
“Finally, we have seen since Hurricanes Katrina and Rita that the Department of Homeland Security is either unwilling or unable to implement quick and effective reform when it is needed or directed by Congress. This bill calls upon the agency to absorb yet another a hefty responsibility with little consideration for the resources, accountability and realistic timeline necessary to make it happen.â€
