Tuesday, June 05, 2007

5:40 Senator Bingaman Offers Amendment Senator Bingaman has introduced an amendment that would get rid of a provision of the immigration bill that requires a guestworker to return to their home country for at least one year after they have worked in the U.S. for two years.  Senator Bingaman says that having workers come and go for long periods of time doesn't make a lot of sense for employers or other employees that do have citizenship.  He also argued that this system will encourage individuals to illegally overstay their visas.  This amendment maintains the six-year work limit in the bill while eliminating the one year hiatus in between each two-year work period. 5:41:02 PM

5:20 Senator DeMint Offers Amendment Senator DeMint has offered an amendment that would require individuals with a Z visa to carry a certain amount of health coverage.  This amendment would make that minimum level be defined as a high-deductible health care plan.  He argued that with nearly 10 million noncitizens being uninsured and no U.S. hospital able to legally deny a person health care because of their immigration status or ability to pay, his amendment "would prevent that cost from being shifted to the American taxpayers in the form of uncompensated care." 5:23:13 PM

5:15 Senator Cornyn Offers Amendment Targeting Felons Senator Cornyn has offered an amendment that would stop any immigrant that has committed a felony from obtaining a Z visa.  Senator Kennedy has argued that many immigrants are considered to have committed a felony simply for the fact that they have had run-ins with immigration enforcement in the past. 5:16:34 PM

4:15 Durbin Amendment Agreed To By a vote of 71-22, the Durbin amendment was agreed to. 4:16:13 PM

4:00 Senate Now Voting on Durbin Amendment The Senate is now voting on an amendment offered by Senator Durbin.  Senator Durbin argued that his amendment would ensure that U.S. workers are first considered for jobs ahead of participants in the foreign temporary worker program part of the bill.  Senator Specter argued in opposition that this amendment would slow down the process by which foreign nurses and others are recruited and said that he could not agree to it. 4:03:44 PM

3:55 Allard Amendment Not Agreed To By a vote of 31-62, the Allard amendment was not agreed to. 3:56:13 PM

3:45 First Vote of the Day on an Allard Amendment to the Immigration Bill Senators are now voting on an amendment to the immigration bill.  Offered by Senator Allard, this amendment would change the merit-based point system the bill establishes by ensuring that those who enter the country illegally are not given any preferential treatment.  Senator Allard has argued that the bill's current point system gives an enormous advantage to those who have violated our immigration laws.  Senator Specter is opposing the amendment saying that what is currently in the bill is part of many interwoven negotiations and while this argument may not be satisfactory, it is necessary to give this preference to agricultural workers. 3:49:06 PM

12:30 Senators Give Tribute to Senator Thomas Senators have spent this morning honoring the life and work of Senator Craig Thomas.  The Majority Leader spoke first saying that he will be remembered as the “modern day embodiment of the cowboy ideals he celebrated and loved” and called him “a humble man with an adventurous spirit from a lonely corner of the country who put his family, his country, and his state above all else.”  His fellow Wyoming Senator, Senator Enzi, said “Craig Thomas was more than just our Senator.  He was our voice in the Senate and he was never one to back off from a fight, especially when he was battling two things most dear: what was best for Wyoming and what was best for America.”  Senator Bingaman called him “an example of courage in the face of adversity” and Senator Durbin described him as “a man of high integrity, honorable and humble.” 12:34:52 PM

10:00 Senate Delays Consideration of Immigration to Honor Senator Thomas The Senate has delayed consideration of the immigration legislation to honor Senator Craig Thomas, of Wyoming, who passed away last night.  From 10:00 until the party caucuses at 12:30, the Senate will be in a period of morning business to commemorate Senator Thomas.  When the Senate reconvenes at 2:15, consideration of the immigration bill will resume. 10:42:05 AM