After some deal making between Harry Reid, Mitch McConnell, and the White House, the immigration bill will be returning to the Senate floor next week. Excerpt:
Senate leaders agreed Thursday to a list of amendments to be considered, clearing the way for debate to resume. The decision followed President Bush's announcement that he supports a move to immediately set aside more than $4 billion to beef up enforcement of immigration laws.
The two actions significantly improve the chances that the Senate will pass the comprehensive bill, which would provide a path to citizenship for many of the nation's estimated 12 million illegal immigrants. "We believe that there are enough votes," White House spokesman Tony Snow said Thursday.
A senior Democratic aide said that Senate leaders agreed to specific amendments, with 11 for each side, but did not describe them.
One will certainly be the amendment drafted by Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) to guarantee that the federal government spends billions of dollars to improve border security and crack down on businesses that hire illegal workers. The measure is intended as an answer to conservatives who doubt the administration's commitment to enforcement. ...
Snow suggested that the president and other backers of the bill wanted the funding to be a part of the immigration package, not a separate measure. "All the pieces have to work together," he said. "If you disaggregate, things fall apart."
The bill claims to address the visa system and border security, but Congress has already passed mandates on both subjects. Last year, legislation was passed to authorize the construction of a fence along the southern border, and Congress also demanded the replacement of the visa system by 2005. Can we expect Congress or the White House to follow through on this legislation when they haven't complied with the previous?
UPDATE: Paul Mirengoff:
The administration's latest effort to induce Congress to grant amnesty to more than 12 million illegal immigrants is an offer of "confidence building" measures to overcome the fear that the government will not seriously enforce the law. It's sad that the administration can't rely on its past performance in this regard. Michael Chertoff seems to regard ordinary border enforcement as beneath him (chasing cooks and gardeners, is how he characterizes it), and President Bush craves a grander legacy. Presumably, he considered enforcing the immigration laws "small ball," the term he uses to belittle mere competent performance of his job. If the Bush adminstration wasn't willing to do its job when it comes to securing our border even after 9/11, are we to be confident that, say, Hillary Clinton will take on this task with any seriousness?
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