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Immigration Debate Moves Forward in Senate
Senators remain sharply divided as they move to bring an immigration bill to the Senate floor this week. Last week, the Senate began consideration of two highly-contentious immigration reform bills. The first, S. 2454, introduced by Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-TN), focuses narrowly on border security and enforcement, and would enhance the scope and authority of the Department of Homeland Security to enforce immigration laws. The Senate Judiciary Committee, led by Chairman Arlen Specter (R-PA), approved a separate comprehensive immigration bill last week that would include strong border security measures and the creation of a guest worker program. NAHB believes that a guest worker program would help to ensure an adequate labor supply that would continue to meet the demand for housing.
Both the Frist and Judiciary Committee bills have been offered on the Senate floor, and will be debated and amended throughout this week. The Senate is expected to hold a vote on final passage on Friday, April 7. Because the Judiciary Committee bill (which does not yet have a bill number) was offered as a substitute amendment to the Frist bill, it will become the final vehicle for passage if it is approved on the Senate floor, and the Frist bill will fall away.
NAHB is urging lawmakers to support comprehensive immigration reform and has sent out an Action Alert to our membership asking builders to contact their Senators on the issue. NAHB passed official policy on immigration reform at the fall board meeting in September, 2005. To view the Frist bill, click here and type S. 2454 in the box in the center page. For more information, contact Jenna Morgan Hamilton at 800-368-5242, x8407.
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