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Senate Committee approves sweeping immigration bill.
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Senate Committee approves sweeping immigration bill.
Associated Press |
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WASHINGTON - The Senate Judiciary Committee approved sweeping election-year
legislation Monday that clears the way for 11 million illegal aliens to
seek U.S. citizenship, a victory for demonstrators who had spilled into
the streets by the hundreds of thousands demanding better treatment for
immigrants. |
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With a bipartisan coalition in control, the committee also voted down
proposed criminal penalties on immigrants found to be in the country illegally.
It approved a new temporary program allowing entry for 1.5 million workers
seeking jobs in the agriculture industry. |
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"All Americans wanted fairness and they got it this evening," said
Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, D-Mass., who played a pivotal role in drafting
the legislation. |
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There was no immediate reaction from the White House, and Sen. Leslie
Graham, R-S.C. said he hoped President Bush would participate in efforts
to fashion consensus legislation. "The only thing that's off the
table is inaction," said Graham, who voted for the committee bill. |
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The 12-6 vote broke down along unusual lines, with a majority of the
panel's Republicans opposed to the measure even though their party controls
the Senate. |
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Sen. John Kyl, R-Ariz., seeking re-election this fall in his border
state, said the bill offered amnesty to illegal immigrants, and sought
unnsucessfully to insert tougher provisions. He told fellow committee
mebers that the economy would turn sour some day and American workers would
want the jobs that now go to illegal immigrants. They will ask, "how
could you have let this happen," he added. |
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Committee chairmen Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania was one of four Republicans
to support the bill, but he signaled strongly that some of the more contorversial
provisions could well be changed when the measure reaches the Senate floor.
That is "very frequently" the case when efforts to reach a broad bipartisan
compromise falter, he noted. |
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In general, the bill is designed to strengthen enforcement of U.S.
borders, regulate the flow into the country of so-called guest workers
and determine the legal future of the estsimated 11 million immigrants
living in the United states illegally. |
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The bill would double the Border Patrol and authorizes a "virtual wall"
of unmanned vehicles, cameras and sensors to monitor the U.S.-Mexico border. |
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It also allows more visas for nurses and agriculture workers, and shelters
humanitarian organizations from prosecution if they provide non-emergency
assistance to illegal residents. |
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The most controversial provision would permit illegal aliens currently
in the country to apply for citizenship without first having to return
home, a process that owuld take at least six years or more. They
would have to pay a fine, learn English, study American civics, demonstrate
they had paid their taxes and take their place behind other applicants
for citizenship, according to aides to Kennedy. |
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Source: Kingsport Times-News, Tuesday March 28, 2006, page 3A |
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