Posted on 07/25/2007 8:06:47 PM PDT by NormsRevenge
WASHINGTON - A standoff in the Senate on Wednesday seemed to doom $3 billion in widely backed funds aimed at gaining control over the porous U.S.-Mexico border.
It started with an end-run by Republicans to pass some of the most popular elements of President Bush's failed immigration bill, including a plan to increase security along the southern border.
Democrats liked the money but objected to such GOP proposals as allowing law enforcement officers to question people about their immigration status and cracking down on those who overstay their visas.
The move put political pressure on Senate Democrats. They killed Sen. Lindsey Graham's plan on a 52-44 procedural vote, but Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., immediately countered with a pared-down proposal containing only the border security funds. Then Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, a Bush ally, killed that effort.
Dying with the proposals could be hopes for seizing "operational control" over the U.S.-Mexico border with additional Border Patrol agents, vehicle barriers, border fencing and observation towers.
The battle began when Graham, R-S.C., and other Republicans tried to resurrect the border security plan and combine it with the GOP policy provisions from last month's immigration debate.
Graham sought to add the GOP immigration plan — over White House opposition — to a pending bill to fund the budget for the Homeland Security Department.
The underlying bill had already drawn a veto threat for breaking Bush's budget. White House spokesman Scott Stanzel noted that Wednesday's plan would not have been financed by fines on illegal immigrants as were comparable provisions from the broader bill that died last month; it therefore would have added $3 billion to the deficit.
Stanzel declined to comment further, but Sen. Judd Gregg, R-N.H., had earlier told reporters that the White House opposed the additional funds.
Reid's compromise plan seemed to be viewed favorably by many senators. Cornyn said he wanted some of the money used for going after immigrants who had entered the United States legally but had overstayed their visas.
Graham and GOP allies such as Sen. Jon Kyl of Arizona had argued during last month's hotly contested immigration debate that a comprehensive approach to immigration reform was the only way to attract bipartisan support to such a polarizing issue.
In the wake of the failure to pass the comprehensive bill — decried as "amnesty" by conservative talk radio and opposing lawmakers — Graham and the others changed their minds and offered the border security plan, combined with the tough GOP policy provisions.
Graham and Kyl said the public won't accept more controversial elements, especially the plan to give million of illegal immigrants a way to earn U.S. citizenship, until the border with Mexico is made more secure.
"Border security is the gate that you must pass through to get to overall comprehensive reform," said Graham, who is up for re-election next year and facing political heat at home for backing Bush's unpopular immigration plan.
Democrats such as Sen. Edward M. Kennedy of Massachusetts had supported designating $4.4 billion for border security as a way of drawing wider backing for the compromise bill. On Wednesday, though, Kennedy objected to Graham's move to unravel the broader immigration bill.
"We have tried enforcement-only approaches for 10 years now," said Kennedy. "And what have been the results? Twelve million people are in the United States illegally."
So the Dems are now not willing to pay to have the federal government do it’s job, but Lindsey Graham is?
Incredible.
Graham sought to add the GOP immigration plan — over White House opposition — to a pending bill to fund the budget for the Homeland Security Department.
The underlying bill had already drawn a veto threat for breaking Bush’s budget. White House spokesman Scott Stanzel noted that Wednesday’s plan would not have been financed by fines on illegal immigrants as were comparable provisions from the broader bill that died last month; it therefore would have added $3 billion to the deficit.
Neither is President Bush...........if it doesn’t contain amnesty for all his illegal buddies.
As soon as we get that wall up let’s put the democrats on the other side of it since they love Mexicans so much.
So JWB is going to veto this, even though the majority of the country wishes to see it done?
Wow.
Oh have we (Kommunist Kennedy); then why have we failed to do what is necessary to secure the boarder (Do you think it’s not ‘possible for the USG to secure the boarder?)..
I don’t believe anything out of this administration anymore.......nothing!
Well Chivas boy, your buddies at the ACLU stripped Simpson Mazzoli of any teeth minutes after the ink was dry.
If a person applies for a job, you can not question his immigration status. Even if you send SSNs in to review, the database is so screwed up you cant get information.
Sheesh we have not had any active enforcement since 1985.
This is what frosted my cupcakes re: the whole immigration babblefest. These unctuous, arrogant solons really thought we would believe they could clear an individual’s status in 24 hours? Hey Einsteins: My wife has been waiting for her passport for going on two months.
Also crAP needs to find that clue they have been searching for since 2000. The dembot reporter does not question this statement. Maybe it is just stupidity and not deliberate bias.
We really, REALLY, need some single issue bills to go forward. Straightforward bills saying yes means yes and no means no. But it will never happen since the legislators seem to delight in hanging all sorts of different ornaments on every tree that comes along, one canceling the other so everyone hates the result.
Let’s vote them all out, both parties!!!
We really, REALLY, need some single issue bills to go forward. Straightforward bills saying yes means yes and no means no. But it will never happen since the legislators seem to delight in hanging all sorts of different ornaments on every tree that comes along, one canceling the other so everyone hates the result.
Let’s vote them all out, both parties!!!
If we have another 9/11, and it is shown that the perpetrators came over the Mexican border, the folks in DC will looking for new jobs.
All of them.
LOL... Now that's funny! I'll bet the swimmer even said it with a straight face.
The MSM has a habit of cleaning up Kennedy quotes. He really said: "b'der ah, er ah, we er ah, tried er ah, enforcement er ah, etc."
Now that the chance for passing the amnesty bill is nil, the supposed inducements to passage are being left on the wayside.
It’s sickening how utterly transparent the power elite of this country has become.
The majority of them have to go no matter what. This whole debacle has shown them to be do absolutely nothing political hacks. They do absolutely nothing but posture to one another while we the people are left dealing with their ineptness. I am so over these freaking idiots.
It chaps my leathers too, our govt is treating “us” like we are stupid.
that being said, it may be time to bypass JWB and look to candidates who support what we support, and are willing to stand for what we stand for on this issue.
Amnesty Graham is trying to cover his backside, this bill has -0- chance of making through the Senate or past JWB’s desk.
“So the Dems are now not willing to pay to have the federal government do it’s job, but Lindsey Graham is?”
The Dems never wanted secure borders. They’ve tried to gut it time and again. but the Democrats are loathe to stand in the way of something that could cost them their seats next year, so the good news is they will play politics to try to gut it without appearing to do so.
Hence these games.
Graham’s mind must be getting concentrated by the fact that the base may kick his butt out of office in the primary. If he’s gotten religion on not just border security but the other things, it’s a good sign that no republican will dare get stupid on immigration anytime soon (the president excepted).
In other related news:
Ramos and Campeon get a House resolution, and the Democrats didnt even want a roll-call vote on it!
Kudos to Tancredo, Cornyn, Hunter and Savage for standing up for these BP agents.
This is just effing ridiculous. Is Bush pining for impeachment?
Was I asleep when this enforcement happened?
Hey, progress! The backstabbing Kyl and the McCain kiss up now consider enforcement first a must for their "gate" to amnestyville. Before they didn't even believe in that gate. Not good enough by any mens, but at least they are the only ones compromising here.
This should be puffed by the Pubbies. Tagging the RATS with being unwilling to enforce visa overstays and denying the need to close the border to illegals is a winning combination.
We have a stupid party run by stupid people if they don’t leap on this and make sure the entire country knows what the RATS really stand for on illegal immigration.
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