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GOP Immigration Bill Revived - Millions of illegal immigrants to be citizens soon?

Question:

GOP Immigration Bill Revived - Millions of illegal immigrants to be citizens soon?

Answer:

Senate leaders of both parties struck a deal today on legislation that would give millions of illegal immigrants a chance to become American citizens and establish a guest-worker program for foreign workers.

The deal still has a long way to go before becoming law. The Senate must pass it and - even more difficult - the Senate bill and a much harsher House-passed bill, which has triggered huge nationwide protests by immigrants. Those would have to be combined into a single compromise bill.

The Senate reached an apparent immigration deal last month, only to see it break down in a burst of inter-party mistrust. That deal would have severely limited the number of amendments that could be offered to the bill on the Senate floor to restrict immigration.

And it would have restricted the roster of senators eligible for appointment to the committee with eventual responsibility for negotiating a compromise with the House. Democrats were afraid that the committee would be dominated by conservatives, who would abandon the liberalizing features of the Senate bill in favor of the tough provisions of the House bill.

This time, if the deal holds, the full Senate is expected to debate the bill next week. Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-Tenn.) said he hoped the Senate would finish work on the bill by its one-week Memorial Day holiday, a wish echoed by the White House.

Today's agreement spelled out the terms under which workers now in this country without proper documentation could achieve legal status. It also includes a provision, advanced by President Bush, to admit foreign "guest" workers and put them on a track toward citizenship.

At the same time, the bill would beef up efforts at the borders to hold down illegal entry to the United States. But unlike the House-passed bill, it would not subject the estimated 11 million to 12 million foreigners in this country illegally to felony charges as well as deportation proceedings.

Frist said that when the deal went to the Senate floor, a "considerable" number of amendments would be in order.

He said the Senate
Question:

GOP Immigration Bill Revived - Millions of illegal immigrants to be citizens soon?

Answer:

Senate leaders of both parties struck a deal today on legislation that would give millions of illegal immigrants a chance to become American citizens and establish a guest-worker program for foreign workers.

The deal still has a long way to go before becoming law. The Senate must pass it and - even more difficult - the Senate bill and a much harsher House-passed bill, which has triggered huge nationwide protests by immigrants. Those would have to be combined into a single compromise bill.

The Senate reached an apparent immigration deal last month, only to see it break down in a burst of inter-party mistrust. That deal would have severely limited the number of amendments that could be offered to the bill on the Senate floor to restrict immigration.

And it would have restricted the roster of senators eligible for appointment to the committee with eventual responsibility for negotiating a compromise with the House. Democrats were afraid that the committee would be dominated by conservatives, who would abandon the liberalizing features of the Senate bill in favor of the tough provisions of the House bill.

This time, if the deal holds, the full Senate is expected to debate the bill next week. Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-Tenn.) said he hoped the Senate would finish work on the bill by its one-week Memorial Day holiday, a wish echoed by the White House.

Today's agreement spelled out the terms under which workers now in this country without proper documentation could achieve legal status. It also includes a provision, advanced by President Bush, to admit foreign "guest" workers and put them on a track toward citizenship.

At the same time, the bill would beef up efforts at the borders to hold down illegal entry to the United States. But unlike the House-passed bill, it would not subject the estimated 11 million to 12 million foreigners in this country illegally to felony charges as well as deportation proceedings.

Frist said that when the deal went to the Senate floor, a "considerable" number of amendments would be in order.

He said the Senate delegation to negotiate a final deal with the House would consist of 14 Republicans and 12 Democrats. Seven Republicans and five Democrats would come from the Judiciary Committee.



 
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