Thread: Update:Immigration Won't Be in Senate Farm Bill, Harkin Says

KEEP CALLING!!

I agree, we should keep calling until we know just what exactly is going on. See this related story (also posted in News Stories), sounds like things are still up in the air:
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11/5/2007
Brownback warns against adding immigration to Farm Bill
By ROXANA HEGEMAN

Associated Press Writer

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) -- Efforts to add immigration provisions to the nation's farm bill would doom the legislation, U.S. Sen. Sam Brownback said Monday.

For that reason, the Kansas Republican said he would oppose any such additions -- even though he supported separate provisions for agricultural workers.

"The immigration issue is so contentious -- let's not put it in the Farm Bill," Brownback said.

Brownback told reporters following a farm bill discussion with Kansas farm leaders that he would try to talk Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., out of adding her AgJobs measure to the farm bill.

The five-year farm bill, approved unanimously by the Senate Agriculture Committee, would provide more than $280 billion for agriculture and nutrition programs and leave in place most subsidies to producers of major crops. The bill now goes before the Senate for consideration.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., said last month that lawmakers may try to add a measure that would give legal status to some temporary migrant farm workers.

Brownback told the Kansas Farm Bureau and the Agribusiness Council of Wichita that while he supported a measure bringing more agricultural workers, he did not want to "tank the farm bill" by including the controversial measure in it.

Brownback told farm leaders that the current ag worker program allows 40,000 workers into the country each year, the most workers that the current system can process. But the marketplace demands 500,000 migrant workers each year.

"You end up getting a lot of people coming across illegally just because you got a guy here with a patch of broccoli or strawberries or peaches that are rotting ... and a crew shows up, they get work," Brownback said. "People don't ask a lot of questions when they have a field to harvest. The system almost encourages an illegal nature to it."

Brownback said Americans are not opposed to immigration, only illegal immigration.

The Kansas Republican said the immigration system is broken, but that lawmakers need to build fence and get control of the border before people will trust them with immigration reform.

On other issues, Brownback said he hoped to endorse a presidential candidate in the near future. Brownback dropped out of the race last month, citing poor fundraising. His former opponents have since sought his endorsement.

Asked whether he would consider joining another ticket as a vice president candidate, Brownback said he has not been approached for that by any candidate. Brownback said he would consider it, but that right now he was focused on his current job as a Kansas senator.

http://www.hdnews.net/Story/k1048_BC_KS ... 11_05_0482

500,000 ag's workers a year, what a load of crap. Go get them off the street corners you idiots!! I swear everyday I hate them more and more!!

Populist, did you hear what whitehouse was talking about?
I missed it but Trimuph just posted it was about challenging the rights for non-citizens to vote in our elections Did anyone catch this? I missed him.

No Sosad, I didn't hear that.
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Looks like Sen. Nelson still support AgJOBS, but just not attached to the Farm Bill:

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Sen. Nelson opposes effort to add immigration proposal to farm bill

Monday, November 5, 2007 3:39 PM CST

With the Senate ready to start debate on the new farm bill, Nebraska's Senator Ben Nelson issued the following statement Monday, outlining his opposition to offering the AgJOBS Act as an amendment to the new Farm Bill.

“We need to pass a clean, substantial, reform-focused farm bill that supports American agriculture, opens new markets for our products, enhances our energy security and provides for our agriculture industry in times of economic strife. [b]Any effort at attaching piecemeal immigration proposals could derail the farm bill and threaten the bipartisan support it has in the Senate.â€