VICTORY! Senate Cloture Vote Fails {Also Poll Results]
NumbersUSA, June 7, 2007: The Senate tonight, by a 45-50 vote, failed to invoke cloture on the "Grand Bargain" substitute amendment to S. 1348, the Amnesty / Guestworker bill. Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) subsequently pulled the underlying bill from the floor, but promised to continue efforts to pass the bill as soon as possible. Tonight's vote was the second time today Senators voted against invoking cloture on the substitute amendment to the underlying bill. The first vote failed 33-63. After that vote, Reid subsequently called for cloture on the underlying bill, which also failed 34-61.
Earlier today, Senators rejected (42-54) an amendment by Sen. Tom Coburn (R-OK) (SA 1311) that would have required DHS to certify the implementation of various border security and interior enforcement measures (e.g., all statutorily-required border fencing has been constructed, US-VISIT is fully operational, "sanctuary cities" are prohibited, denying aliens who are likely to become public charges admission into the United States, etc.) before the Z visa and Y visa provisions of the bill can be “triggered” on top of the "triggers" already extant in the bill. In addition, the president would have had to certify that all of these "triggering" mechanisms are fully implemented and operational and, subsequently, required Congress to approve the certification – all of this prior to implementation of amnesty and guestworker provisions.
Immediately preceding adjournment on June 6, the Senate engaged in a marathon of voting during which:
• An amendment by Sen. David Vitter (R-LA) SA1338 (no text available but debate suggested that it would have required the US-VISIT entry-exit system to be fully operational before the bill's guestworker and amnesty provisions are "triggered") failed by a single vote (48-49).
• An amendment by Sen. Kay Hutchison (R-TX) was adopted by voice vote. Senate floor discussion suggests that SA 1415 would prohibit the granting of Social Security credit for wages earned by illegal aliens prior to their being granted amnesty under this bill.
• Sen. Hillary Clinton’s (D-NY) attempted to add an unlimited number of spouses and minor children of lawful permanent residents to the uncapped immediate relative category. Her amendment (SA 1183) failed when Members refused to waive the applicability of Senate's budget to the amendment; 60 votes were needed to waive the rules, final vote 44 votes for, with 53 against.
• Sen. Barack Obama’s (D-IL) amendment (SA 1202), to have sunsetted the bill’s merit-based point system after five years, failed 42-55.
• Sen. John Ensign (R-NV) amendment (SA 1374); failed 42-55 (text was not available) that was thought to "improve" the bill's "merit-based" system of allocating immigrant visas.
• Sen. James Inhofe’s (R-OK) SA 1151 was adopted 64-33. It would make English the official language of the United States. However, an amendment by Sen. Ken Salazar (D-CO), which passed 58-39. Senate debate suggested that the Salazar proposal requires the U.S. Government to preserve and enhance the role of English as the national language, thus conflicting with the Inhofe amendment.
• In the last vote of the evening, an amendment (SA 1316) by Sen. Byron Dorgan (D-ND), which sunsets the Y-1 "temporary" nonimmigrant nonagricultural worker program five years after enactment, was adopted by one vote (49-48).
• Earlier in the day, Sen. John Cornyn's (R-TX) amendment (SA 1250) passed 57-39. The amendment allows information provided on illegal alien applicants for amnesty could be shared with intelligence and law enforcement officials at all levels, thus encouraging real enforcement of our immigration laws.
Polls Show Majority of Americans Oppose Senate Bill
Rasmussen poll: Only 26% of Americans favor the Senate bill. Click here to read. New poll finds Americans disagree with Senate bill's main thrust.
Tags: amnesty, guest worker program, US Senate To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
Earlier today, Senators rejected (42-54) an amendment by Sen. Tom Coburn (R-OK) (SA 1311) that would have required DHS to certify the implementation of various border security and interior enforcement measures (e.g., all statutorily-required border fencing has been constructed, US-VISIT is fully operational, "sanctuary cities" are prohibited, denying aliens who are likely to become public charges admission into the United States, etc.) before the Z visa and Y visa provisions of the bill can be “triggered” on top of the "triggers" already extant in the bill. In addition, the president would have had to certify that all of these "triggering" mechanisms are fully implemented and operational and, subsequently, required Congress to approve the certification – all of this prior to implementation of amnesty and guestworker provisions.
Immediately preceding adjournment on June 6, the Senate engaged in a marathon of voting during which:
• An amendment by Sen. David Vitter (R-LA) SA1338 (no text available but debate suggested that it would have required the US-VISIT entry-exit system to be fully operational before the bill's guestworker and amnesty provisions are "triggered") failed by a single vote (48-49).
• An amendment by Sen. Kay Hutchison (R-TX) was adopted by voice vote. Senate floor discussion suggests that SA 1415 would prohibit the granting of Social Security credit for wages earned by illegal aliens prior to their being granted amnesty under this bill.
• Sen. Hillary Clinton’s (D-NY) attempted to add an unlimited number of spouses and minor children of lawful permanent residents to the uncapped immediate relative category. Her amendment (SA 1183) failed when Members refused to waive the applicability of Senate's budget to the amendment; 60 votes were needed to waive the rules, final vote 44 votes for, with 53 against.
• Sen. Barack Obama’s (D-IL) amendment (SA 1202), to have sunsetted the bill’s merit-based point system after five years, failed 42-55.
• Sen. John Ensign (R-NV) amendment (SA 1374); failed 42-55 (text was not available) that was thought to "improve" the bill's "merit-based" system of allocating immigrant visas.
• Sen. James Inhofe’s (R-OK) SA 1151 was adopted 64-33. It would make English the official language of the United States. However, an amendment by Sen. Ken Salazar (D-CO), which passed 58-39. Senate debate suggested that the Salazar proposal requires the U.S. Government to preserve and enhance the role of English as the national language, thus conflicting with the Inhofe amendment.
• In the last vote of the evening, an amendment (SA 1316) by Sen. Byron Dorgan (D-ND), which sunsets the Y-1 "temporary" nonimmigrant nonagricultural worker program five years after enactment, was adopted by one vote (49-48).
• Earlier in the day, Sen. John Cornyn's (R-TX) amendment (SA 1250) passed 57-39. The amendment allows information provided on illegal alien applicants for amnesty could be shared with intelligence and law enforcement officials at all levels, thus encouraging real enforcement of our immigration laws.
Polls Show Majority of Americans Oppose Senate Bill
Rasmussen poll: Only 26% of Americans favor the Senate bill. Click here to read. New poll finds Americans disagree with Senate bill's main thrust.
Tags: amnesty, guest worker program, US Senate To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
Posted by Bill Smith at 10:19 PM - Post Link
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home