9.21.2006
G.O.P. in Senate Narrows Immigration Focus to 700-Mile Fence (NYTimes.com)
By CARL HULSE
Published: September 21, 2006
WASHINGTON, Sept. 20 — Senate Republicans formally put aside a broad immigration overhaul sought by President Bush on Wednesday and decided instead to press ahead with narrower bills to require building 700 miles of fence on the southwestern border.
Senator Bill Frist of Tennessee, the majority leader, said the fate of millions of illegal immigrants already in the United States had become a “fundamental sticking point” in trying to reach agreement with the House on a broad bill.
Mr. Frist said the fence proposal, which the House has passed, was the best alternative if lawmakers wanted to salvage some immigration changes before the Nov. 7 elections.
“Let’s focus on a problem the American people understand,’’ the senator said, “and that is, we have hundreds of thousands of people coming across our border every year into our country.”
He added that the broad measure could be considered when Congress returned in mid-November or next year.
The Senate voted, 94 to 0, to debate the measure on fencing and other border barriers at the cost of billions of dollars. But the fate of even that measure is unclear, because members of both parties have reservations, and Mr. Frist may need to block any amendments if he wants to deliver it to Mr. Bush before Congress adjourns next week.
(More ... G.O.P. in Senate Narrows Immigration Focus to 700-Mile Fence - New York Times) ¶ 19:35
Published: September 21, 2006
WASHINGTON, Sept. 20 — Senate Republicans formally put aside a broad immigration overhaul sought by President Bush on Wednesday and decided instead to press ahead with narrower bills to require building 700 miles of fence on the southwestern border.
Senator Bill Frist of Tennessee, the majority leader, said the fate of millions of illegal immigrants already in the United States had become a “fundamental sticking point” in trying to reach agreement with the House on a broad bill.
Mr. Frist said the fence proposal, which the House has passed, was the best alternative if lawmakers wanted to salvage some immigration changes before the Nov. 7 elections.
“Let’s focus on a problem the American people understand,’’ the senator said, “and that is, we have hundreds of thousands of people coming across our border every year into our country.”
He added that the broad measure could be considered when Congress returned in mid-November or next year.
The Senate voted, 94 to 0, to debate the measure on fencing and other border barriers at the cost of billions of dollars. But the fate of even that measure is unclear, because members of both parties have reservations, and Mr. Frist may need to block any amendments if he wants to deliver it to Mr. Bush before Congress adjourns next week.
(More ... G.O.P. in Senate Narrows Immigration Focus to 700-Mile Fence - New York Times) ¶ 19:35
