 |
 |
| Who is Afraid of Debate? |
 |
|
|
|
As the Senate debates the massive in scope immigration reform bill, a disturbing fact is emerging: Senators may be blocked from offering critical amendments to improve this flawed bill.
Yesterday on the Senate floor Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid had the following to say about the amendment process on this bill:
The only thing I will announce--I told both managers and I think Senator McConnell agrees with this, and if not, it is something we need to do for an orderly process here--is that we do an amendment at a time. The last time on this bill, we wound up with 30, 40 amendments pending. I am saying we are not going to do that this time
Translation: “This year when we debate the immigration bill, leadership will allow far less amendments than 30.”
According to early reports circulating around the Senate, it looks like the number will be around 20. That means each side gets 10 chances to amend this bill. It also means that the fiercest critics of this bill on the left and right will be given very limited opportunity to amend the bill because their leadership may reserve at least half of the 10 amendments for the bill’s supporters. That leaves conservative critics with less than a handful of amendments.
Let's remember that when this bill was first announced the supporters of it hid the ball. They did not release language and they said they wanted an expedited vote in a hurried fashion. Now they have agreed to allow one more week before a vote, but they are sitting on the ball running the clock out on debate.
This is not the way the Senate should work. On a bill of this magnitude, we owe it to the American people to have a full debate.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
