Thread: Senators Hope to Revive Immigration Bill in Future

WASHINGTON — The lawmakers who failed Thursday to win a key vote on the immigration reform bill before the Senate said on Friday that they will continue to push the bill forward and believed they could still find a compromise that would pass.

"We are not giving up. We are not giving in," Sen. Edward Kennedy, D-Mass., told reporters. He is the chief Democrat at the negotiating table for the immigration bill.

"When it is recognized by the American people that the Senate has not acted (on immigration), I believe there is going to be a wave of support for what we have been trying to do," said Sen. Arlen Specter, R-Pa., who also is on the negotiating team.

The bill, which had been widely criticized, died on a procedural motion Thursday night. But Republican Sens. Specter, Jon Kyl, Lindsey Graham and Mel Martinez were all upbeat after a vote to end debate failed 45-50, failing to reach the 60-vote threshold to move toward final passage.

Click here to see how your senator voted on ending the immigration debate.

Despite the fact that it was primarily Republicans who voted against the maneuver, all the GOP lawmakers who spoke with FOX News were upbeat that the legislation could be revived soon — even within a matter of weeks, with one negotiator noting that last year's bill was first pulled from the floor by then-Majority Leader Bill Frist before it was brought back up again and passed.

Graham said he talked extensively with Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and is confident the bill will return for senators to take another crack at developing a comprehensive plan to legalize millions of foreigners living unlawfully in the United States.

"I know where the votes are for final passage. ... We're going to get this done," Graham said, adding that the topic is not going to go away. "All I can say is, if you name a post office, you're going to be talking about immigration."

"There are ways we can do this," Reid said later. "There can be an agreement on the number of amendments. Hopefully we can do that in the next several weeks. We're very close."

Kyl, the chief Republican negotiator, told reporters on Friday that he believed a list of about 10 amendments would satisfy the concerns primarily on his side of the aisle, and that those could be considered in no more than three days on the Senate floor.

Kyl, of Arizona, called on Senate leaders to give the time to the bill -- which in the short-term might seem large, but in the long-run would seem small.

"Who will care whether it was an extra three days if we can achieve the result that we're talking about?" Kyl asked.

Reid said support for the bill exists across the country despite repeated polls showing growing opposition to the thrust of the bill and many of its specifics — particularly on the issues of legalization for illegals here now, a guest worker program and chain migration.

"There are a lot of good things in this bill," Reid said. "I'm a creature of the Senate. I understand we live by the rules that govern this body. I accept that. We're going to do everything we can to pass this bill as soon as we can. When is that? I don't know, but we're going to work hard and try to put aside the hurt feelings that we have. The country needs and the Senate needs to do this."

In the meantime, Reid said, President Bush, who champions the comprehensive reform bill, needs to work harder to get Republicans in line.

"Where are the president's men?" Reid asked. "Where are the president's people. I want to finish this bill. But I can't do it alone, we (the Democrats) can't do it alone. We need some help. And I would hope the president understands....he has a relatively short period of time to help us with this piece of legislation."

White House counselor Dan Bartlett told FOX News that he believed there was still hope for the bill to be revived.

"I think its premature to declare this legislation dead. I know the leadership is still talking. The president urges Sen. Reid to reconsider and work with both Republicans and Democrats and get this bill back on track," Bartlett said.

"Now it's time for every member of Congress, particularly in the Senate, to redouble their efforts. The president will following this very closely, as he continues the discussions here in the G-8 [conference in Germany]. There's no more important issue facing the American people back at home," he said.

The legislation up for debate included a temporary guest worker program and a pathway to legalizing the estimated 12 million or more illegal immigrants in the U.S. It also offers provisions to tighten borders and institute a new system to prevent employers from hiring undocumented workers.

As the Senate drew closer to a vote on the bill, Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutierrez and Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff lobbied lawmakers to pass the bill, spending nearly three hours in negotiations in a back room off the Senate floor.

Upon leaving, both men shook bill sponsor Kyl's hand and showered him with praise and encouragement, saying the bill would get done. Gutierrez promised, "We're going to get there. No problem."

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell agreed that the Senate was close to passage of this bill. McConnell, R-Ky., said the bill failed because Democrats tried to rush it, not allowing Republicans to offer key amendments — like tougher border security measures and legalization process for illegal immigrants — that could win over opponents. All but seven Republicans voted against ending the debate.

"Both of us desire the same result, which is to get a bipartisan immigration bill that would be an improvement over the disastrous status quo we have now," McConnell said of himself and Reid.

"I think we were very close to getting there," McConnell added. "We could have finished this bill in a couple of more days in my judgment. We're giving up on this bill too soon. I think we are within a few days of getting to the end of what many would applaud as an important bipartisan accomplishment of this Congress."

Eleven Democrats also voted against ending debate, even though many who supported it had complained that the bill created a class warfare scenario that locks temporary workers into second-class citizen status and rips apart families by favoring employability over blood ties in the approval of future immigrants.

Sen. Edward Kennedy, D-Mass., called the death of the bill, "a disappointment" but held out hope the measure would survive.

"This issue isn't going away," Kennedy said. "Doing nothing is not an option."

Specter, one of the negotiators in what had been dubbed the "grand bargain," condemned the death of the bill, arguing there was opposition on both sides of the aisle but that Republicans did more to hopelessly stall the bill than did Democrats.

"The Democrats were wrong but the Republicans were wronger, to use a word that doesn't exist."

Specter also said the Senate was diminished by the debate and its inability to pass the bipartisan compromise.

"To listen to the debate the last several days, I think people wonder just what is going on," Specter said. "We crafted a bill, bipartisan ... and as of this moment we have not succeeded. I believe we will yet succeed. Accusations have been made that it is amnesty but the fact is if we do nothing we have silent amnesty. This matter is on life-support but it is not dead. It is not moribund."

While Reid insists the bill is not dead, a crowded Senate calendar complicates its prospects. Reid immediately moved onto energy policy after the vote.

"To listen to the debate the last several days, I think people wonder just what is going on," Specter said. "We crafted a bill, bipartisan ... and as of this moment we have not succeeded. I believe we will yet succeed. Accusations have been made that it is amnesty but the fact is if we do nothing we have silent amnesty. This matter is on life-support but it is not dead. It is not moribund."

Latest trick: we have silent amnesty! Not if you do the right thing Senator Specter--Secure the Border, Enforce Existing Law. None of this crap!!!

Everyone of these folk know the American people do not approve of the amnesty portions written into the bill, however, not one person that supports the bill has mentioned that fact. McConnel said the bill failed because the Democrats weren't allowing enough Republican amendments on the floor. Well, that may be part of the reason, but the thing that no one is mentioning is the fact that many Republicans still would have voted against cloture because they see it for what it is, an amnesty bill! Moreover, the relentless pounding they've been getting from "Joe Public" has to be having an effect (they value their job). This is a fact that mainstream media is ignoring too. I've been watching various news programs throughout the day and not one mention that the amnesty written into the bill (Z visa, Dream Act, and AgJobs) may have something to do with the bills failure.

We demand "comprehensive" border security and enforcement, not comprehensive immigration reform!

Our efforts must now be doubled to demand that the current laws be enforced and that the FENCE MUST BE BUILT!!! If this is done, maybe THEN they can regain some of our trust.

Oh I love this!!

"Where are the president's men?" Reid asked. "Where are the president's people. I want to finish this bill. But I can't do it alone, we (the Democrats) can't do it alone. We need some help. And I would hope the president understands....he has a relatively short period of time to help us with this piece of legislation."

#1. All the president's men have left the building!

#2. You need some help? Hire the illegals...they work for cheep cheep!

"Where are the president's men?" Reid asked.

They're trying to put Humpty Dumpty (amnesty bill) back together again!

Keep your eye on Secretary of Commerce Gutierrez and Secretary of Homeland Security Chertoff because they will be working overtime on the Republican Senators that voted against cloture.

"Where are the president's men?" Reid asked.

All of the president's men and women are here throughout the entire country, and known as AMERICAN CITIZENS. You have forgotten that reid, but we will NEVER forget your treatury.

And to all you senators who are "hoping" this bill will be back, listen up. You can hope in one hand and crap in the other. We'll see which one gets filled first.

You've heard the voice of the people. Now, instead of trying to bamboozle us AGAIN with your crap legislation, how about we move onto enforcing the existing laws?

Off topic, but I really believe the defeat of this bill dealt a huge "dose of humility" to the 110th Congress, especially the Dems. I also believe that this immigration bill was a test to see if they had as much power in both houses as they hoped. Obviously, they don't and it has made them throw temper tantrums like 5 year old kids.
With reid pulling out all the stops in order to get this bill rammed through, this shows the Dem arrogance.
It sure would be nice if we could send all the bad senators and congressman to some sort of PERMANENT time out.

I for one could use some guidance from William G at this point. Do we relax for a while and see if this thing really does start to come back to life or do we hammer our elected officials to not allow it to be revived?

What's the advice?

The senate bill is dead, squashed, and finished, never to be revived-get that through your thick skulls Kennedy(drunk), Martinez (racist and illegal supporter), Reid (jerk) and Kyl (moron).

Originally Posted by jecg_97030

I for one could use some guidance from William G at this point. Do we relax for a while and see if this thing really does start to come back to life or do we hammer our elected officials to not allow it to be revived?

What's the advice?

JECG, you can rest assured that an attempt to bring this bill back is in the works. We know how slimy and sneaky these jokers are.
We cannot let up with the faxes, emails, calls, etc.
The lame duck sessions are the most dangerous political sessions. Some of the worst legislation in our country's history has been passed, specifically, Clinton's executive order for government material to be printed in multiple languages.
You can bet that Jorge BOOSH will try his hardest to push something through that we don't want on his way out.
Or, he and congress may try the old "piggyback" method. Where they attach some crap part of the immigration bill to some bill that doesn't even relate to immigration.

keep the calls and faxes going, only tell them that since now S 1348 is dead, we want the current laws enforced, and we want the wall built that was signed into law as the Secure Fence Act, 2006.
They are not going to sell us out again. If we Americans don't keep up on this, we can say goodbye to the best country in the world.