IMMSUMAPR7

TheWeekInCongress.com

IMMIGRATION LEGISLATION SUMMARY AS OF April 7, 2006

In December 2005 the House of Representatives passed HR 4437, an immigration and border control bill that would make being illegally in the US a felony and would provide for the deportation or incarceration of current illegal immigrants. Much of the bill dealt with increasing border security. The bill did not offer amnesty or guest worker status.

In March 2006 the Senate began consideration of S 2454, an immigration and border control bill that, like the House bill, offered no amnesty or guest worker status. S 2454 was sponsored by Senate Majority Leader William Frist (R-TN).

S 2454 became the underlying bill for amendments in the Senate.

A bill sponsored by Senators Kennedy (D-MA) and McCain (R-AZ) failed to be considered. Elements of that bill included provisions that would allow most of the 12 million illegal immigrants currently in the US to pay a fine and back taxes and apply for a work visa and ultimately citizenship. Those Kennedy / McCain provisions were folded into an amendment sponsored by Senator Arlen Specter (R-PA) and if passed would have replaced S 2454. A filibuster began that required a cloture motion-a motion to end discussion, limit debate and bring the matter up for a vote. Cloture motion on the Specter Amendment failed 39 to 60 (RV 88) on Thursday evening, April 6, 2006.

As such, S 2454 remains the underlying bill and un-amended.

Next up was an amendment sponsored by Senator Mel Martinez (R-FL) that proposed the three tiered approach to handling illegal immigrants. There was far more to the provision than what was presented by performers but their basic message was that those in country for five year or more would get a visa and were guaranteed citizenship in about ten years after a fine, back taxes were paid, English was learned, etcetera. A second group in country for 2 to 5 years were to leave the country where they could apply for a visa and a third group, in country for two years or less must leave. The Martinez amendment was disposed of in a vote to end the filibuster on that amendment where Senators failed to invoke cloture 38 to 60 (RV 89) on April 7, 2006.

The Senate then moved to a vote to stop filibuster on the underlying Frist bill, S 2454. The Senate failed to invoke cloture 36 to 62 (RV 90) April 7, 2006.

S 2454 having been effectively stalled, the bill will undergo scrutiny during Congress’ Easter break and is promised to be taken up again after the Senate returns on April 24, 2006.

No reproduction, language translation or distribution without written permission from TheWeekInCongress.com.(TM)