Masonry Magazine August 2006 Page. 10
Government Affairs
Comprehensive Immigration Reform is Further on the Horizon
Jessica Johnson Bennett
MCAA, Director of Government Affairs
The odds of passing comprehensive immigration reform before the mid-term elections in November were long at best, up until June 20, when those odds became even greater and prospects of a bill became dimmer. On June 20, House Republicans dealt what may prove to be the decisive blow, announcing a plan to hold hearings across the country this summer on the issue of immigration reform rather than pushing the legislation in a conference committee.
The fact that Republicans in the House chose this option, rather than reconciling both the House and Senate bills in a conference, was not a complete surprise for most. House Speaker J. Dennis Hastert, R-III, had hinted at the possibility early in June. In addition, the two sides became so entrenched in their positions, a compromise appeared less and less likely.
Following the announcement by the House, the Senate was quick to follow suit. Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, R-Tenn., and Judiciary Chairman Arlen Specter, R-Pa., declared that the Senate would also hold hearings on immigration, which began in Philadelphia on July 5.
Holding hearings away from Washington will postpone the conference until fall at the earliest, and could doom any hope of passing a bill during the 109th Congress. This strategic move was clearly a gamble for both chambers, each of which is betting that the process will show that public opinion is on their side and give them ammunition going into conference.
The decision made by House leaders to delay the conference is in defiance of President Bush's efforts to pass comprehensive reform. The president has long been a champion of immigration policy that closely resembles the Senate approach. In addition, Bush has criticized the House bill as an unrealistic approach to addressing the problem of the 11-12 million illegal immigrants currently living and working in the United States.
Democrats have used this opportunity to criticize Republicans, saying that the decision by Hastert and Majority Leader John A. Boehner, R-Ohio, to hold hearings rather than forge ahead with the legislation is proof that Republicans want immigration as a campaign issue rather than a legislative solution.
Republicans have also made the most of the opportunity by associating the Senate bill with its Democratic backers even though it passed with bipartisan support. At a news conference on June 22, Hastert ignored the fact that the Senate bill had the support of two top Senate Republicans, Specter and Frist, and a prospective