Immigration Reform Bill Dies in Senate
Senate Opponents Have Succeeded in Stopping Immigration Reform Bill
By JAKE TAPPER
June 28, 2007
The Senate's immigration reform bill died once again this morning; it needed 60 votes to survive a procedural motion but failed to achieve even a majority of 50 -- a feeble showing for a bill that had supposedly been revived.
It was another loss for not only the legislation but Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., and President Bush, who was making phone calls this morning to lobby wavering Republicans -- apparently to little avail.
Only 46 senators voted in favor of the bill, with 53 casting votes against the measure. The lopsided vote on the procedural motion signified paltry support for the compromise as two of the original compromisers -- Sens. Johnny Isaskson and Saxby Chambliss, Republicans of Georgia -- worked against the bill.
"This legislation was a tremendous step in the right direction," Reid said after the bill was defeated. "It's not a time for pointing fingers, it's not a time for casting blame, it's a time for recognition that immigration is a problem that needs to be fixed."
Sen. Ted Kennedy, D-Mass., one of the authors of the bill, vowed he would continue to fight for the principles of the bill.
But the bill's enemies simply had the votes and, according to polls, the support of the public.
"This immigration bill has become a war between the American people and their government," said Sen. Jim DeMint, R-S.C., one of the bill's chief opponents. "This vote today is really not about immigration. It's about whether or not we're going to listen to the American people and realize that we need to proceed more carefully in a more sensitive manner and appear to be listening to the concerns of the American people."
The bill was thought to have died earlier this month when it failed on a similar motion, though supporters remained optimistic that objections could be overcome.
"I'll see you at the bill signing," Bush quipped to reporters at the time. He later spoke to Republican senators at a lunch meeting where he hoped to alleviate concerns by speaking emotionally about how important it was to him personally that the issue be resolved.
Immigration Reform Bill Dies in Senate
1 2 Next
abcnews.go.com |
