Monday, May 22, 2006

 

Article: News - House called open to deal on immigration bill

Article: News - House called open to deal on immigration bill: "The man who would be the chief House negotiator on an immigration-overhaul bill said Sunday he was not ruling out discussing any provision in the Senate proposal, including letting millions of illegal immigrants eventually become citizens.

'I don't think anything is a deal-breaker,' Judiciary Committee Chairman James Sensenbrenner said on CBS's 'Face The Nation.'"

This week, the U.S. Senate is expected to pass S.2611, the Comprehensive Immigration reform bill. Last week, enforcement-only Senators made several attempts to remove or gut guest worker provisions from the bill but fortunately that part of the legislation has survived more or less intact. Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist has repeatedly stated he intends to schedule a vote on the bill this week. Once it is passed it still has bot be reconciled with the enforcement only bill passed by the House. House Republicans have been very vocal in their opposition to any form of guest worker program or amnesty as they incessantly call it. However, the comment quoted above, by one of the most strident opponents of "amnesty" indicates that it may not be that difficult to reach some middle ground as the President has urged. Even though he still called the Senate bill an amnesty hat he continues to be opposed to, there appears to be a glimmer of hope that Congressional Republicans (and Democrats) can put political maneuvering and ideological gamesmanship on hold long enough for this Congress to pass legislation that will substantially benefit immigrants to the U.S.

Perhaps there is still hope for a rational middle ground.

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