Posted on 04/04/2005 1:37:50 PM PDT by La Enchiladita
WASHINGTON — A bill that would require all states to verify federal immigration documents and birth certificates before issuing federally recognized drivers' licenses to its residents is still in limbo as Congress returns from its Easter recess and possibly toward a renewed push.
The "Real ID Act," sponsored by Judiciary Committee Chairman James Sensenbrenner (search), R-Wis., passed the House 261-161 on Feb. 10. The act would prohibit anyone without a federally recognized state-issued ID from boarding an airplane or accessing federal programs that require federally recognized identification.
Critics say that the legislation would hit at least 10 states particularly hard, be extremely costly and create a national identification system.
Jeff Lundgren, spokesman for the Republicans on the House Judiciary Committee, told FOXNews.com that Senate Republicans may attempt to attach a version of Real ID to a must-pass bill, like the upcoming war supplemental appropriations expected to come up in the Senate after the Easter recess. But so far, Senate leadership sources say it’s not on any immediate agenda.
"The Senate will have to address it as opposed to ignoring the whole issue," Lundgren said. The White House has already expressed support for the plan.
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
fyi ping
FYI..
John Kyl may present a bill, but the Dems are already planning the shut down of the Senate over the judicial nominees crap---
therefore, this bill and any others will be gathering spider webs before long....
the dems will stop it but blame it on the Republicans like they always do...
dang good question. one i too ask. this is another crap on states rights.
Another burden on the states because the administration is sandbagging enforcement of immigration law, particularly at the southern border. It's the awkward way we do things these days...
RE: "John Kyl may present a bill, but the Dems are already planning the shut down of the Senate over the judicial nominees crap"
Filibusters do not apply to appropriation bills, which is why the following quote was in the article:
"Republicans may attempt to attach a version of Real ID to a must-pass bill, like the upcoming war supplemental appropriations "
they're also planning on sticking the ag amnesty bill unto it. cowardly if you ask me...
The House added Real ID to the Defense Appropriation Bill last month.
The Senate will be debating the addition of AgJobs to the Defense Bill.
...Senate Republicans may attempt to attach a version of Real ID to a must-pass bill, like the upcoming war supplemental appropriations expected to come up in the Senate after the Easter recess....
Please elaborate.
Knowing that the Senate would not respond to Real ID, the House attached Real ID to the appropriaton bill, forcing the Senate to deal with it.
As you may, or may not know, AgJobs has been introduced into the House but Sensenbrenner has it tied up in his Justice Committee. There would also be some problems getting the bill past Hastert.
There are those in the Senate who feel that if Sensenbrenner/the House are trying to ram Real ID down their throat, they will try to attach AGJobs to that same bill and ram it down the House'e throat.
If the Senate does add AgJobs to the defense bill and sends it back to the House, then neither Sensenbrenner nor Hastert can stop it. It will automatically go to the House floor, forcing the House to vote on it.
It would only take 15 republican defectors in the House, joining with the democrats, to pass AgJobs.
Bush and Cornyn are having coniption fits try to stop the Senate. Recall that prior to the Novenber elections Bush persuaded Frist to keep AgJobs off the Senate floor.
Idaho senator Craig is the one attaching the AgJobs portion... wonder what his interest is. Let's see. Alberstsons supermarket is HQ'ed in Idaho, for one thing. Surely, we can find some "reasons."
I don't understand why you say Bush is having fits... did I miss something? ... isn't this what he wants, the "backdoor amnesty?"
But wait, again! More are more of our produce -- at least here in California -- is being grown AND harvested in Mexico. Therefore, less justification for having Mexican ag workers here.
Of course, we know most Republicans are limp-wristed on illegal immigration so we don't expect THEM to get tough.
On a realistic level, Bush knows that his plan doesn't have a chance of getting thru Congress. The dems won't allow it.
His only remaining defense against AgJobs is that he needs a broader reform bill that includes reforms to both the H2A and H2B Visas. AgJobs deals only with the H2A.
As for which congressional republicans that support AgJobs. There are two groups. The Northeastern republicans who support it philosophically and farm state republicans who support it for economic reasons.
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