MRS FLYIN VEE
06-28-2007, 06:42 AM
WASHINGTON - President Bush, scrambling to salvage his broad immigration bill that's in peril before a crucial test vote, called senators early Thursday morning to rally support.
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Republicans and Democrats could put the brakes on the bipartisan plan to legalize millions of unlawful immigrants Thursday, after the measure's roller-coaster ride through a Senate deeply divided over the issue.
Conservative critics call the bill a grant of amnesty, while some Democrats are concerned it could separate families and leave a new group of temporary workers vulnerable to exploitation.
Supporters point to the bill's tougher border security and workplace enforcement measures, along with an immediate infusion of $4.4 billion to pay for them, as reasons to keep the legislation alive.
Bush, who has made an unusual personal push to persuade key waverers to back the bill one of his top domestic priorities was on the phone with senators on Thursday morning after making calls Wednesday night to argue his case, said Scott Stanzel, a White House spokesman.
Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, D-Mass., said, "This has been a long journey to try and bring our broken immigration system and our broken borders to a place where the Senate can take action." Kennedy partnered with conservative Republicans and the Bush team to write the bill.
"Today's vote is really a critical vote," Kennedy added.
Supporters must gain 60 votes in the 100-member chamber to limit debate and clear the way for a roll call on final passage, perhaps by Friday. Anything less will likely doom the legislation until a new president and Congress take office in 2009.
Bush's allies passed a similar test Tuesday, but several senators said they simply were agreeing to let debate continue for a couple of days, and they made no promises to support the legislation on Thursday or beyond.
The revived immigration measure could grant legalization to the estimated 12 million unlawful immigrants if they pass background checks and pay fines and fees. It also would toughen border security and institute a new system for weeding out illegal immigrants from workplaces.
It faces challenges from the left as well as the right. The measure survived a series of unfriendly amendments Wednesday.
Sen. Bob Menendez, D-N.J., was among those disappointed Wednesday. The Senate voted 55-40 to reject his amendment that would have made it easier for some immigrants to obtain visas for family members left behind in their home countries.
"This action does nothing to allay my concerns about the increasingly right-wing tilt to these proceedings, and it makes it more difficult to vote in favor of invoking cloture on the bill," Menendez said, referring to Thursday's crucial vote to limit debate.
While Menendez and a few other Democrats may oppose the bill, the main opponents have been Bush's fellow sunbelt Republicans. GOP Sens. David Vitter of Louisiana, Jim DeMint of South Carolina and Jeff Sessions of Alabama led the charge, often backed by Texan John Cornyn.
Late Wednesday, they applauded the Senate's refusal to reject a fairly low-key amendment that, because of parliamentary rules, left leaders no choice but to halt action until Thursday's showdown vote.
"They tried to railroad this through today, but we derailed the train," DeMint said. Asked if he was poised to kill the bill Thursday, DeMint replied, "we hope to."
The bill's bipartisan supporters, including liberals such as Kennedy and conservatives such as Jon Kyl, R-Ariz., said they would push hard to survive Thursday's vote. But they were frustrated by the lack of enthusiasm shown by many in the president's party.
Some noted the virtual absence throughout Wednesday's floor debate of Senate minority leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., who has declined to say how he would vote on the measure.
McConnell left GOP colleagues including Arlen Specter, R-Pa., to contend with the Vitter-DeMint-Sessions group, while Democrats were represented in the chamber most of the day by Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada.
The bill is S 1639
ADVERTISEMENT
Republicans and Democrats could put the brakes on the bipartisan plan to legalize millions of unlawful immigrants Thursday, after the measure's roller-coaster ride through a Senate deeply divided over the issue.
Conservative critics call the bill a grant of amnesty, while some Democrats are concerned it could separate families and leave a new group of temporary workers vulnerable to exploitation.
Supporters point to the bill's tougher border security and workplace enforcement measures, along with an immediate infusion of $4.4 billion to pay for them, as reasons to keep the legislation alive.
Bush, who has made an unusual personal push to persuade key waverers to back the bill one of his top domestic priorities was on the phone with senators on Thursday morning after making calls Wednesday night to argue his case, said Scott Stanzel, a White House spokesman.
Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, D-Mass., said, "This has been a long journey to try and bring our broken immigration system and our broken borders to a place where the Senate can take action." Kennedy partnered with conservative Republicans and the Bush team to write the bill.
"Today's vote is really a critical vote," Kennedy added.
Supporters must gain 60 votes in the 100-member chamber to limit debate and clear the way for a roll call on final passage, perhaps by Friday. Anything less will likely doom the legislation until a new president and Congress take office in 2009.
Bush's allies passed a similar test Tuesday, but several senators said they simply were agreeing to let debate continue for a couple of days, and they made no promises to support the legislation on Thursday or beyond.
The revived immigration measure could grant legalization to the estimated 12 million unlawful immigrants if they pass background checks and pay fines and fees. It also would toughen border security and institute a new system for weeding out illegal immigrants from workplaces.
It faces challenges from the left as well as the right. The measure survived a series of unfriendly amendments Wednesday.
Sen. Bob Menendez, D-N.J., was among those disappointed Wednesday. The Senate voted 55-40 to reject his amendment that would have made it easier for some immigrants to obtain visas for family members left behind in their home countries.
"This action does nothing to allay my concerns about the increasingly right-wing tilt to these proceedings, and it makes it more difficult to vote in favor of invoking cloture on the bill," Menendez said, referring to Thursday's crucial vote to limit debate.
While Menendez and a few other Democrats may oppose the bill, the main opponents have been Bush's fellow sunbelt Republicans. GOP Sens. David Vitter of Louisiana, Jim DeMint of South Carolina and Jeff Sessions of Alabama led the charge, often backed by Texan John Cornyn.
Late Wednesday, they applauded the Senate's refusal to reject a fairly low-key amendment that, because of parliamentary rules, left leaders no choice but to halt action until Thursday's showdown vote.
"They tried to railroad this through today, but we derailed the train," DeMint said. Asked if he was poised to kill the bill Thursday, DeMint replied, "we hope to."
The bill's bipartisan supporters, including liberals such as Kennedy and conservatives such as Jon Kyl, R-Ariz., said they would push hard to survive Thursday's vote. But they were frustrated by the lack of enthusiasm shown by many in the president's party.
Some noted the virtual absence throughout Wednesday's floor debate of Senate minority leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., who has declined to say how he would vote on the measure.
McConnell left GOP colleagues including Arlen Specter, R-Pa., to contend with the Vitter-DeMint-Sessions group, while Democrats were represented in the chamber most of the day by Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada.
The bill is S 1639