

AMENDMENTS TO IMMIGRATION BILL LIMITED

The immigration reform debate hits is fourth day today and still the amendment process remains controversial. As was noted yesterday, there is an effort afoot to limit the amount and type of amendments offered to this bill. In four days of debate, we have only had two roll call votes and both have been on Democrat amendments. Today, the Associated Press runs a story about this process. The AP notes that the debate is being controlled by the small group of Senators who brokered the deal which produced the immigration reform bill. It is in this group of Senators where the decisions regarding who gets to offer what amendment and when are decided. The AP describes the scene that takes place just off the Senate floor as the Senators in this group gather: They sit in overstuffed crimson leather chairs; Senate aides and senior White House officials look on. The team pores over lists of proposed amendments from both parties. Some are deemed acceptable, while others are deal-breakers that must be killed or modified to avoid alienating a key bloc. The AP later notes the feelings of many critics who are "suspicious" about this process. Senator DeMint is quoted: Sen. Jim DeMint, R-S.C., is seeking far-reaching changes to the immigration measure and wants to remove the legalization program for unlawful immigrants. "A lot of us don't feel like they're speaking for us, that this idea that we can't offer an amendment or it's going to blow up the deal is a bunch of nonsense," DeMint said. "This is something that every member of the Senate should be participating in -- not a small group," DeMint said. "There's never been a more emotional issue for people back home. They feel betrayed and violated. They don't trust our Congress." Read the whole AP story here.

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