Frist wants Senate vote on immigration bill by week's end

[deminks]

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/politics/3765440.html

WASHINGTON — Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist said today he wants a full Senate vote on an immigration bill this week and believes that urgent action is needed despite sharp divisions over whether proposed legislation would amount to amnesty.

"There are 3 million people every year coming across our borders illegally. We don't know who they are; we don't what their intentions are. We absolutely must address it," said Frist, R-Tenn. "I hope by Friday that we will have a bill on the floor that is comprehensive."

Still, several lawmakers, including Frist, have criticized as unacceptable the Senate provisions that would let illegal aliens already in the U.S. seek citizenship without returning to their home country, paying fines and learning English.

"I don't think we should legislate a track that gives a privileged status to people who broke the law," Frist said. "If somebody is here and they're a felon or multiple misdemeanors or somebody who is not working, someone who has been here for a year ... yes, I think they'd have to go back home."

[bowens43]

1. Without a guest worker program and a path to citizenship

for those already here, there will be no bill passed. The majority of Americans support a guest worker program and oppose sending back those already here.

[bee]

2. Im guessing it doesnt matter what the majority of Americans support...

Theyre going to pass whatever they want anyway. As usual.

[lovuian]

6. Unfortunately if they can't pay for their health insurance

then I think it has to be addressed who pays for their health insurance when their bills run in the tens of thousands such as when a baby is born or if its a premie... that bill runs usually ten thousand
can they pay for health insurance that would help...

I don't hear any discussion on that

Because the hospitals in Texas were getting so many immigrants in without health insurance Bush funneled extra money to help pay their bills but that stresses the whole hospital system and makes the normal American bills go up up up because they help pay for those who can't...

[fasttense]

11. Can you give me a link?

You say the majority of Americans support outsourcing of jobs to guest workers in the US. Can you provide a link to this poll?

I would think the majority don't approve of mass deportation of working men and women, but the support for turning over US jobs to foreign workers is a new one on me.

[lovuian]

3. Interesting Very Interesting...

Frist has definitely got the message from his Republican constituents...

And the Democrats stand is letting all the ilegal immigrants stay and seek citizenship and learn English

am I getting it right ...

I just want to know where each party stands here cause elections in 2006 are coming up...

I want to make the point that ilegal aliens don't vote...
The Democrats should be tough on border security and tough on employers hiring cheap ilegal labor...

It sounds like Frist is breaking away from Bush on this... and the Dems sound like Bush... its a topsy turvey world out there in politics land...

[ugarte]

4. I don't think Frist wants a bill

He just wants it as a campaign issue agianst McCain in the GOP primaries.

[lovuian]

7. Very good point ugarte

Very good point...

[napi21]

5. My guess is he wants the vote because he doesn't want ANY bill to pass.

This time, I agree with the TV pundits that say there will not be an immigration bill passed before Nov. I think he's calling for the vote, just to get it off the agenda and move on to some other dumb idea Shrub has.

[cyberpj]

8. Bingo! nt.

[rodeodance]

9. Frist is playing harball on security issues. He wants it on his record

[The Blue Knight]

10. Yea, no way any bill passes this week.

The debate about immigration has just started, no way something this big goes down this week. Not a chance.

I agree with the previous posters. Frist wants to be able to go to the American people saying "I'll look out for you and protect you."

[kysrsoze]

12. No, Bill. Why don't we stretch this debate out a bit, say...

until November 2006? Asshole.