Thread: US Senate CSpan2 Reports (near real-time) 1:00pm ET 5/21/07

Reading notes - about Democratic Senators involved with crafting bill.
(too fast for notes here)

Drafting of bill - process flawed, not inclusive.

Cites case of bill becoming law; shows poster cartoon :
"How a bill becomes law"

Now, talks about how process is supposed to work:

Mentions cloture vote today, moving forward in rushed manner.
Concerned about Reid's comments and timeline.

He thinks Reid wants it passed this week.

"How does a bill become law".?

(Created, referred, sent to proper committee).

Process and tactics used last year are similar this year as well.

Last Year: Frist gives Deadline. Motivator to get bill out of committee.
Boom - bill on floor of Senate, which no one has seen text of bill.
Wanted a vote same week.

Other senators complained about amending bill, etc.
Bill eventually pulled.
Legislation was rushed out of committee.

This Year: Entirely new piece of legislation - that no one has had a chance to see. It has not gone through committee process, not know to members of committee. 1000 pages. Moved to this week. Breathtaking in scope.


Cites Heritage Found. Process from website:
"Working behind closed doors for months,... Most significant legislation in 40 years".

Making draft version of bill was made public by HF.
Document made available is relied upon final language by senate to vote upon to approve or disapprove. Lacks fiscal impact assessment, etc.

Refers to Hugh Hewiit article published. Says:
"There are so many problems with this bill it should not be introduced in the Senate....".

Refers to the bill writers as "masters of the universe'

As in "He-Man" and "She-Ra"? My oldest one used to watch that every morning before school. Hmmmm.......Sessions probably is right, we have some highly delusional senators.

"This is not how the process is supposed to work".

We don't know that the bill text is even finalized.

The bill has not been introduced, has not been given a bill number.

A Congressional Budget Office score has not been given (CBO - score must be given before bill introduced. No one has provided a CBO score for the bill)

How much does it cost????

One reason CBO Score not done, bill language has to be sent to CBO.
They still have only draft language. How long will process take?
There is a problem here. One week not enough - no score, no language, - "not good policy in my view"

Citing Louis Brandeis (1914)...

I have to verify, and this bill needs to be introduced in proper way.

(Outlining normal process for a bill - mentions what was NOT done in this process).

Mentions flood of low-wage workers, lowering of std. of living for US poor workers.

85 other senators that weren't involved in writing bill, have no idea of what is in bill. Bill needs time to be 'disinfected' by light of day before a vote.

Bill of this importance, (most important since he's been in Senate), should not be rushed through this way. Not fair to American public.

I'll say one thing: American public CARE ABOUT THIS ISSUE.
American public: good instincts, want a fair and good system. That benefits country, and does not want to burden system. Want the law enforced.

Politicians on the move...do not want bill on floor long. "We don't want them to know what's in it"..,etc get it 'off our plate" (sarcastically).

American people do care, are engaged, and discuss in detail.
Need public meetings, open debate, etc.


When first heard WH presentation (by Chertoff, Gutierrez), leaked to press - I felt we made some big strides from Last Year. Mentions temporary worker program that is actually 'temporary' (guest-workers).

Last years definition of Guest-worker - not really temporary, allowed them to bring extended families, - wasn't a guest-worker program at all. Attempt to mislead the American people. "It was a sham"


Let me address problems with present legislation today.

Frame work should produce a bipartisan bill that could become law.

Stated : He will read the fine print. Will oppose the bill.

4 principles to new bill:

1. Enforcement trigger must be met - to secure border to avoid 1986 failure. Facets: 18,000 BP agents, fencing, end catch-release, workplace verification.

These would be only things in 'trigger' to 'secure US borders'.

Does new bill fulfill trigger 1?

No. It falls short. It does not fulfil reqs.
Legalization begins IMMEDIATELY. Z visa, stats.

Trigger only requires benchmarks goals that were already on books to be
met. (per Isakson: 'No one gets amnesty, until we fix the system')

In 1986, security never happened, but illegals got amnesty up front automatically. He is cynical on proposition about trigger.

Is important.

What is not in it? US Visit Exit system - not included as requirement for trigger. In 1996, congress req'd implementation to monitor exit of non-nationals at border. Later, more time allowed to complete system, date moved back until 2005. Exit portion is essential for future guest-worker do not overstay. (Current process doesn't adequately monitor people supposed to have exited).

'Blowing Smoke' - we can if we desire to do so. It is not part of trigger mechanism.






Green Card adjustments)

SESSIONS ROCKS! He has been right on target and he also is nailing the traitors!! HE is speaking out for the American people!!! HOW REFRESHING!

Originally Posted by April

SESSIONS ROCKS! He has been right on target and he also is nailing the traitors!! HE is speaking out for the American people!!! HOW REFRESHING!

I am going to call Sessions office and leave a very nice message and let him know he is a true Patriot and American.

Sec 130 - Congress develop a schedule for developing 'exit trigger' process.

They knew Masters of the Universe wrote in ineffective exit monitor.


Secure Fence Act : DHS Sec. required to do all actions necessary to achieve operational control of land/sea border of US.

Senators voted on before elections. Only 18,000 BP agents have to be deployed - 300 agents less than WH presentation.

Anti-terror act of 2004 requires 2000 new agents every year until 2010.
- already hiring additional agents anyway.

370 miles fencing - yet to be built - key part of trigger.


Trigger - end of catch and release.

Case of Mexicans - immediate release.

Non-Mexicans: China, Brazil, Indonesia - what about them?
Cites later release with 'orders to appear' ; to Chertoff: this process is phasing out. Pg. 10 (OTMs) release on $5000 bond.

*Process not ended - just a release on bond*


Another question: Have sufficient prison capacity to hold prior to deportation - appropriate for 27,000 new beds (already is currently allocated funding level).

Sec 137 - Reqs DHS to acquire thoudands of new beds - SHOULD BE IN THE TRIGGER!
Just because it is authorized, does not mean that future congress will fund it. 27k is far less than 43k intended to be in law under FISA reqs.
Should be part of trigge.


Finally, no guarantee, Title I, Title II - assumes future funding; "subject to availability of funds" used 18 times.

"Authorized to be appropriated " 20+ times.

"Monies that are authorized to be appropriated" - but no funding explicitly identified.


Other triggers issues:

Workplace enforcement, guest-worker

Disappointed in trigger provisions.


Principle 2 - Y Visa:

Temp. Visa for foreign workers. New prog, entry for 2 years, reqs 6mos outside US - can be renewed up to 6 years.

Concerned: about time frame. Genuince program should be 1 yr program - without families, maybe 10 mos in a year.

Workers would not be allowed to bring spouses + children - from WH presentation. Annual cap set by DHS, Commerce.

Presumed cap: 200,000 - presentation stated workers would be allowed to apply for Green card, would have to leave country if GC app. not approved.

Does new bill new temp worker program allow simple, efficient,etc?
3 Problems:

1. Periods are too long. (2 yr vs. 1yr). 6 yrs max. - does not promote circularity.

Cites visit to Colombia last year.

2. Numbers are WAY TOO HIGH.
Initial language at 200,000, this bill 400,000+ escalator clause.

Allows up to 1million new GWs into the country. Will have an impact on workers in the country. Does not cinclude 20 % of workers that would be allowed to bring in their families.

New Temp Worker program - 'unworkable'

No reason for TWs to bring their families with them.

Program will cause complex ripple effects.
We don't have resources to police current problems - esp. overstays, absconders, etc. Impact on schools, language problems [NCLB], problems for teaching, etc . Health care costs


*Creating a magnet for dual-citizenship.*

(Mentions anchor-baby issue) - pregnant wives of GWs. What to do about them?

Invites too many problems, complex ones. 'Program set up to fail'


Principle 3 - Green Card allocations:
Increased, do away with visa lottery.

Could not get hearing in Jud Comm. -
Listeners of merit-based system liked it.

Focus to Merit-based system. Current system favors existing illegals - regardless of skills.

(Shows pie chart again - proportion of immigrants selected by country based on merit %; Canada, US, Australia)

'Sorts application based on national needs and merit'
Make easier for highly-educated students to apply and stay.
Use Point System based on Skills, Education, Language ability, and age.


(Talks about Visa Lottery): random selection of 50k people from anywhere regardless of skills, background, etc.

Current situation - 11 million people in 2000 applied for visa lottery!
What does it mean?

**It means that we have far more people that apply than we can ever accept.**

Mentions Prof. Borjas (Harvard): automatic benefit to newcomer immigrant. We don't have ability to accept everyone and still benefit the country. Is it in our NATIONAL interest?

the_patriot wrote:

I am going to call Sessions office and leave a very nice message and let him know he is a true Patriot and American

ME TOO!!!

Current bill makes some moves toward Canadian type system, but not enough.

Current Green Card allocation 1.1 million;

Actual bill - preference of low-skill vs. high-skill workers.???
What is in national interest?

What does bill actually allow?

Will chain migration be ended?

"Bill only does a fraction of the good it could have done".
So, about ending chain migration...

Stop of ability to bring in aging parents....? Some still allowed - in future.

Now, chain migration is actually accelerated! Now, under bill, chain-migration applications only stopped! - not currently in pipeline of
processing. Same people can be covered under merit system of consideration to get into the country,

Point: Tipping value toward lower-skilled workers; should be merit based.

For 1st 5 yrs current employment based visas are same 140k, later level is increased. Between now and 2015 will skyrocket - due to family-based migration. Problem will be much worse!

The real numbers suggest even more chain migration, than exists today.

Sessions was OUTSTANDING!