Senate Panel Approves Immigration Bill (Dems shaped final bill)

[ProSense]

Senate Panel Approves Immigration Bill

Senate Panel Approves Sweeping Immigration Bill After Days of Street Demonstrations
By DAVID ESPO
The Associated Press

WASHINGTON - The Senate Judiciary Committee approved election-year immigration legislation Monday that clears the way for millions of undocumented workers to seek U.S. citizenship without having to first leave the country.

After days of street demonstrations that stretched from California to the gounds of the U.S. Capitol, the committee also voted to strip out proposed criminal penalties for residents found to be in this country illegally.

The panel's vote cleared the way for the full Senate to begin debate Tuesday on the emotional immigration issue.

"All Americans wanted fairness and they got it this evening," said Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, the Massachusetts Democrat who played a pivotal role in drafting the legislation, approved 12-6.

Snip...

At several critical popints, committee Democrats were united while Republicans splintered. In general, GOP Sens. Lindsay Graham of South Carolina, Sam Brownback of Kansas and Mike DeWine of Ohio, who is seeking re-election this fall, sided with Democrats.

more...

http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory?id=1774122&CMP=OTC-RSSFeeds0312

[Catchawave]

1. Sounds like they stripped out the bad stuff ?

But why do I get the feeling the Statue of Liberty is going to be torn down a la Saddam one of these days :(

[pinto]

2. Do you know if the Feinstein amendment was incorporated?

I had to be elsewhere and missed the follow up after her presentation, Q&A with the committee.

[ProSense]

3. Yes. More information here...

Sen. Dianne Feinstein (news, bio, voting record), D-Calif., won approval for a five-year program to permit as many as 1.5 million agriculture workers into the country. "It will provide the agriculture industry with a legal work force and offer agriculture workers a path to citizenship," she said. The vote was 11-5, with Republicans casting all the votes in opposition.

In addition, Kennedy prevailed on a proposal to allow an additional 400,000 green cards for future immigrants, regardless of the industry where they find jobs.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060327/ap_on_go_co/immigration_22

[pinto]

4. Thanks.