Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs
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	Press Releases September 21, 2006   LIEBERMAN REGRETS LOSS OF "HISTORIC OPPORTUNITY" FOR BIPARTISAN IMMIGRATION REFROM Will Vote Against Cloture on Secure Fence Act   Senator Joe Lieberman, D-Conn., Thursday criticized Congressional leadership for undermining an “historic opportunity” to enact comprehensive immigration reform this year and said he would oppose efforts to close off debate on an ineffective border security bill if leaders barred amendments to it. Lieberman called the Secure Fence Act, which would add billions of dollars to extend sections of fence across the southern border with Mexico, one part of a “punitive and ineffective” House package – a far cry from the bipartisan reform the Senate passed in May. Lieberman co-sponsored an amendment by Senator Ken Salazar, D-Colo., to attach the Senate-passed comprehensive reform legislation to the narrower bill. “The Senate is now considering abandoning a truly comprehensive and bipartisan solution to a festering national problem and replacing it with an incomplete, ineffective response to our broken immigration system,” Lieberman said in a statement. “The cost of these fences is conservatively estimated at $2.2 billion, but could easily double. And for this price America will be no more secure, its borders no more protected, and illegal immigration still out of control. The money spent on this bill could be used in much more effective ways to bolster our borders and strengthen our security.” The bipartisan legislation approved by the Senate 62-36 on May 25, but thwarted by House Republicans, would have called for extensive improvements to border security and immigration enforcement including more Border Patrol and immigration agents, more detention beds, new technologies, and new legal authorities. But, as a counterweight to the enforcement provisions, it would also have addressed future immigration by creating a guest worker program leading to citizenship for those who qualified. “Now, instead of doing our Constitutional duty and hammering out our differences, Congressional leadership has declared that reform is dead for this year and instead says the best we can do is build fences in the desert and create a mirage of security. This is a tragedy,” the Senator said. Lieberman said if Senate Republican leaders insisted on blocking amendments to the Secure Fence Act, he would vote against cloture – a parliamentary term that brings floor debate to an end, moving the bill toward a final vote. The Senator’s full statement is below.   ###   Printable Version   Related File(s) (doc) Immigration statement (36.5 KBs) « previous Press Release next Press Release »   1998 - 1999 - 2000 - 2001 - 2002 - 2003 - 2004 - 2005 - 2006 - 2007 September 2006 Press Releases August   |  October   --   2005   |  2007     September 29 - FEMA Reinvention Clears Congress   September 29 - Lieberman Condemns Lack of Funding for Transit Security for Transit Security as Significant Port Security Bill Moves Forward   September 27 - Lieberman, Smith Propose Benefits for Domestic Partners   September 27 - DHS Lacks Adequate Controls for Interagency Contracting   September 25 - Dodd, Lieberman Announce Port, Transit Security Grants for Connecticut   September 22 - Lieberman Calls Chemical Security Agreement Far From Complete   September 21 current Press Release   September 19 - Senate Homeland Security Committee Hearing Examines Terrorist Recruitment in U.S. Prisons   September 19 - Lieberman Hails Report on Threat of Homegrown Terror in Prisons   September 18 - House-Senate Negotiators Reach Agreement on Collins-Lieberman FEMA, Hurricane Katrina Legislation   September 15 - Lieberman Flags Connecticut Benefits in Port Security Bill   September 15 - Lieberman Sets Future Priorities for Homeland Security   September 13 - Lieberman Hails Rail, Transit Security Improvements   September 12 - Senator Lieberman Urges Passage of Port Security Bill   September 12 - Homeland Security: The Next Five Years   September 11 - Lieberman Calls for Leadership on Post 9/11 Security   September 11 - Senators Collins, Lieberman and Durbin Call for Long-Overdue Implementation Plan for the Information Sharing Environment   September 8 - Senate Approves Bill to Bring More Transparency to Federal Spending   September 6 - Collins, Lieberman Highlight National Preparedness Month
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Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs 340 Dirksen Senate Office Building Washington, D.C. 20510