Thread: Victory.....Senate adds big enforcement vs. illegal aliens

Maybe this is old news, but didn't get to the letter until today.



From: Roy Beck, President, NumbersUSA
Date: Wednesday 20APR05 11 p.m.


Victory.....Senate adds big enforcement vs. illegal aliens


Another amazing victory on the Senate floor this afternoon.

The Senators overwhelmingly voted to challenge President Bush's budget and provide the money for 2,000 additional Border Patrol and 2,000 additional ICE (interior enforcement) agents.

A law passed last fall "authorized" these additional enforcement resources but provided no money.

Pres. Bush came back this year and asked for money for fewer than 300 of the 4,000 extra personnel.

The Senate provided the money this afternoon in an amendment to the Iraq supplemental spending bill that we've been tracking the past week. (On Tuesday, the Senate failed to attach the AgJobs amnesty to the bill -- another giant victory for those desiring reduced illegal and legal immigration.)


1. Sen. Byrd's amendment passed by a 65-34 vote


Sen. Byrd, the venerable Democrat from West Virginia, has had the best career record on immigration reduction of all current Members of the Senate (see Immigration Grade Cards at CongressGrades.org).

Once again, he has emerged as a great champion this week.

By introducing his amendment this afternoon and forcefully speaking for it, he put every Senator on the spot to show whether he/she really means it when telling constituents that they support enforcement against illegal immigration.

He knew many of these Senators were a little vulnerable. We learned that many of them and their staffs have talked about being a bit shell-shocked from all the criticism they have gotten for voting for the AgJobs amnesty yesterday. And those who were co-sponsors of that amnesty have been pounded for weeks by you all for their support for illegal immigration.


2. Early voting showed lukewarm Democrat support and no GOP support


The voting was dramatic.

If you ever watch C-SPAN, you know that the Senators wander into the chamber, walk up to the front and announce their vote. Then, they tend to stand around to see how their colleagues vote. This can take quite awhile.

At first, Byrd was drawing support for enforcement mainly from moderate Democrats, while most of the liberal Democrats voted against the extra personnel.

But nearly all the Republicans were voting against it. Most likely, the GOP Senators were treating this as a partisan issue rather than what was best for the country. Because a Democratic Senator had introduced it and passage would imply criticism of Pres. Bush, many Republicans just automatically took the opposite side.


3. Kyl, Sessions and Inhofe turn many Republicans in the right direction


Part way through the voting, Senators Kyl (R-AZ), Sessions (R-AL) and Inhofe (R-OK) walked in and, in rapid succession, announced they were voting with Democrat Byrd!

Some of the Republicans who had voted NO walked back up to the front and changed their votes to YES!

For the rest of the vote, nearly half the Republicans stood beside Byrd and against Pres. Bush's plans for a smaller Border Patrol and fewer deportations.

In the end, though, 34 Republicans rejected what the Minute Man volunteers have so ably proven the last few months on the Arizona/Mexico border -- that a beefed up presence of personnel could stop illegal crossings cold.

Fortunately, 21 Republicans not only stood up for immediately greatly increasing deportations and border personnel, but they also broke away from partisanship and voted for America ahead of their Party's parochial concerns about political advantage. Without those 21 Republicans, Byrd's amendment could not have passed.

While Kyl, Sessions and Inhofe were showing true leadership, the official Senate Republican leadership of Frist (R-TN) and McConnell (R-KY) voted NO to the greatly increased enforcement against illegal immigration.


4. Democrats fold into unanimous pro-enforcement block


After significant numbers of Republicans began casting YES votes, the tide began to shift among Democrats with those who had voted NO changing to YES. And all the late arriving Democrats voted YES.

In the end, all 44 Democrats voted for the large increase in border enforcement and ICE personnel to increase deportations!

I'm especially proud of all of you Democrats who signed up to give particular attention to Democratic Senators and to help them see the political and moral need to vote for reduced immigration (both legal and illegal).

Reports from many of you indicate that you have put incredible energies into your task this week.


5. Your role in all of this and WHAT HAPPENS TOMORROW


Day after day for weeks, Anne Manetas and I have been coming at you and urging you to send faxes and to make phone calls. It has been exhausting work for so many of you. And you had to wonder if anything would ever come of it.

But, believe me, your constant pressure created the right climate for today's victory.

Thank you to all who didn't give up.

On Thursday, the final vote is expected for the overall supplemental Defense spending bill.

We are fairly confident that no more immigration-expansion amendments will come up for a vote.

After the Senate passes the Defense spending bill, Conferees from the Senate and House will meet in Conference Committee. They will consider the differences between bills passed in each chamber. They will decide whether to keep the House's REAL ID bill that forbids drivers licenses to illegal aliens. And they'll decide whether to keep the Senate's increase in H-2B visas for seasonal workers and th Byrd increase in Border Patrol and ICE agents.

Their compromise bill will go back to both Senate and House for another approval and then to the President for signature.


6. How your Senators voted


Voting FOR more enforcement to reduce illegal immigration

Akaka (D-HI)
Baucus (D-MT)
Bayh (D-IN)
Biden (D-DE)
Bingaman (D-NM)
Boxer (D-CA)
Bunning (R-KY)
Byrd (D-WV)
Cantwell (D-WA)
Carper (D-DE)
Chambliss (R-GA)
Clinton (D-NY)
Coburn (R-OK)
Conrad (D-ND)
Cornyn (R-TX)
Corzine (D-NJ)
Craig (R-ID)
Crapo (R-ID)
Dayton (D-MN)
Dodd (D-CT)
Domenici (R-NM)
Dorgan (D-ND)
Durbin (D-IL)
Feingold (D-WI)
Feinstein (D-CA)
Grassley (R-IA)
Gregg (R-NH)
Harkin (D-IA)
Hutchison (R-TX)
Inhofe (R-OK)
Inouye (D-HI)
Isakson (R-GA)
Johnson (D-SD)
Kennedy (D-MA)
Kerry (D-MA)
Kohl (D-WI)
Kyl (R-AZ)
Landrieu (D-LA)
Lautenberg (D-NJ)
Leahy (D-VT)
Levin (D-MI)
Lieberman (D-CT)
Lincoln (D-AR)
Mikulski (D-MD)
Murray (D-WA)
Nelson (D-FL)
Nelson (D-NE)
Obama (D-IL)
Pryor (D-AR)
Reed (D-RI)
Reid (D-NV)
Roberts (R-KS)
Rockefeller (D-WV)
Salazar (D-CO)
Santorum (R-PA)
Sarbanes (D-MD)
Schumer (D-NY)
Sessions (R-AL)
Snowe (R-ME)
Stabenow (D-MI)
Sununu (R-NH)
Talent (R-MO)
Thune (R-SD)
Vitter (R-LA)
Wyden (D-OR)

Voting AGAINST more enforcement to stop illegal aliens

Alexander (R-TN)
Allard (R-CO)
Allen (R-VA)
Bennett (R-UT)
Bond (R-MO)
Brownback (R-KS)
Burns (R-MT)
Burr (R-NC)
Chafee (R-RI)
Cochran (R-MS)
Coleman (R-MN)
Collins (R-ME)
DeMint (R-SC)
DeWine (R-OH)
Dole (R-NC)
Ensign (R-NV)
Enzi (R-WY)
Frist (R-TN)
Graham (R-SC)
Hagel (R-NE)
Hatch (R-UT)
Lott (R-MS)
Lugar (R-IN)
Martinez (R-FL)
McCain (R-AZ)
McConnell (R-KY)
Murkowski (R-AK)
Shelby (R-AL)
Smith (R-OR)
Specter (R-PA)
Stevens (R-AK)
Thomas (R-WY)
Voinovich (R-OH)
Warner (R-VA)

Not voting

Jeffords (I-VT)

After the Senate passes the Defense spending bill, Conferees from the Senate and House will meet in Conference Committee. They will consider the differences between bills passed in each chamber. They will decide whether to keep the House's REAL ID bill that forbids drivers licenses to illegal aliens. And they'll decide whether to keep the Senate's increase in H-2B visas for seasonal workers and th Byrd increase in Border Patrol and ICE agents.

Their compromise bill will go back to both Senate and House for another approval and then to the President for signature.

Just so that I understand--does this mean that the bill is yet to pass? That they could still possibly all change their minds? What about the President? Can he veto it?

The president could veto it which it will get kicked back and then they need a 2/3 vote and it overides the Presidents Veto! If Bush Veto's this bill it will wake up alot of people and alot of people will be Upset!

Acidrain

If Bush Veto's this bill it will wake up alot of people and alot of people will be Upset!

Upset, I guess. LOL Thank you for the clarification though. I thought that was the way it works but it's been about 40 years since I learned that in school. I guess I never realized then that a day would come when I'd need that information. LOL

Doesn't he have to veto the whole emergency spending bill in order for it to go away?

And it could still dissapear in conference.

"Part way through the voting, Senators Kyl (R-AZ), Sessions (R-AL) and Inhofe (R-OK) walked in and, in rapid succession, announced they were voting with Democrat Byrd! "

Oh, I wish I'd seen that! Inhofe is a good man. He voted against the intelligence bill last winter(the only Repulican senator) because it left out any border security.

This is the man who should be president. One of the bravest legislators I've ever seen. He has a concience.

This would be a nice list to start from to replace in 2006. We need to start Now!

Voting AGAINST more enforcement to stop illegal aliens

Alexander (R-TN)
Allard (R-CO)
Allen (R-VA)
Bennett (R-UT)
Bond (R-MO)
Brownback (R-KS)
Burns (R-MT)
Burr (R-NC)
Chafee (R-RI)
Cochran (R-MS)
Coleman (R-MN)
Collins (R-ME)
DeMint (R-SC)
DeWine (R-OH)
Dole (R-NC)
Ensign (R-NV)
Enzi (R-WY)
Frist (R-TN)
Graham (R-SC)
Hagel (R-NE)
Hatch (R-UT)
Lott (R-MS)
Lugar (R-IN)
Martinez (R-FL)
McCain (R-AZ)
McConnell (R-KY)
Murkowski (R-AK)
Shelby (R-AL)
Smith (R-OR)
Specter (R-PA)
Stevens (R-AK)
Thomas (R-WY)
Voinovich (R-OH)
Warner (R-VA)

Not voting

Jeffords (I-VT)

Are they all up for re-election in 2006? I'm especially disappointed in McCain. I'm also most unhappy with one of my own senators, Hutchison who sneaked in the bill for 150,000 more green cards. I will work very hard to see that she is not re-elected...and certainly hope that she isn't hoping to run against Perry for governor. A race I don't believe she could win...Perry is pretty popular. So far.

RR

Hagel is up in 2008. TRUST ME, he will face a VERY stiff problem next election (if he makes it that long). We (our group) are looking to recall him NOW, IF we can.

H.

Originally Posted by AuntB

This would be a nice list to start from to replace in 2006. We need to start Now!

Voting AGAINST more enforcement to stop illegal aliens

Alexander (R-TN)
Allard (R-CO)
Allen (R-VA)
Bennett (R-UT)
Bond (R-MO)
Brownback (R-KS)
Burns (R-MT)
Burr (R-NC)
Chafee (R-RI)
Cochran (R-MS)
Coleman (R-MN)
Collins (R-ME)
DeMint (R-SC)
DeWine (R-OH)
Dole (R-NC)
Ensign (R-NV)
Enzi (R-WY)
Frist (R-TN)
Graham (R-SC)
Hagel (R-NE)
Hatch (R-UT)
Lott (R-MS)
Lugar (R-IN)
Martinez (R-FL)
McCain (R-AZ)
McConnell (R-KY)
Murkowski (R-AK)
Shelby (R-AL)
Smith (R-OR)
Specter (R-PA)
Stevens (R-AK)
Thomas (R-WY)
Voinovich (R-OH)
Warner (R-VA)

Not voting

Jeffords (I-VT)

I would definitely add Hutchinson and Cornyn to that list of people to oust in 2006. Cornyn voted for those extra green cards, as well. I'm not sure what their angle is, I have a feeling Cornyn is in someone's pocket, but I know they are both sneaky and we would be better served with someone more on the up and up.

If Hutchinson runs for governor, or is Perry runs, I'd not vote for either one of them at this point. I didn't vote for Perry last time because his arrogance astounded me. I was new here then.

I don't see Perry doing a whole lot to insure that the TX border is secure. And it is true that it isn't his responsibility but the federal govt's. But he CAN take action against the illegals already in TX by the thousands. He CAN ask for more agents on this border. I've not seen a whole lot of evidence that he has done much of anything for the border towns. Other states with a lot fewer problems have done so much more to put the screws to illegal immigrants. I guess they all need those illegal votes here in TX or else they are afraid of the gang members who constantly intimidate the police.

And I really don't care what the statistics say about how many illegals are in each state. I know that in my city the crime rate is suppressed so why wouldn't the number of illegal immigrants be downplayed? Further, how can anyone know how many there are. And, if they do, how come they are still here?