Key U.S. Senators: Immigration Reform 2010 Not Dead
Key Senators on immigration are now emphasizing that immigration reform is not dead and U.S. Congress must tackle difficult issues like immigration this year.
Should Congress move on comprehensive immigration reform, or travel down a bridge to nowhere? Key Senators on immigration answer the question in Congress Daily. Republican Senator Lindsey Graham(R-S.C) said that Congress must tackle difficult issues like immigration.
Sen. Graham has taken the lead as a Republican in crafting a bipartisan comprehensive immigration reform bill with Senate Judiciary Immigration Subcommittee Chairman Charles Schumer. (D-N.Y)
Sen. Graham identified the key lesson both parties need to learn from the special election in Massachusetts: American people sent policymakers to Washington to solve tough problems, not run from them. Graham blasted politicians who think the smartest strategy heading into the November mid-term elections is to avoid tough issues like immigration. “Is the message that Democrats shouldn’t take on anything controversial and is the message the Republican shouldn’t work with them on anything controversial?” asked Graham. “From my point of view, the real reason we’re all here is to govern the country and do hard things.”
Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-VT) explained in the same article of Congress Daily why the Massachusetts results do not mean the death of immigration reform this year despite the declarations of some pundits who have been waiting to pronounce the issue dead for months. “There’s not going to be a Democratic or a Republican immigration bill. It’s got to be bipartisan,” Leahy said. Sen. Leahy has pointed out that immigration reform is one of the few remaining issues that have a chance of garnering bipartisan support and moving forward this year.
In his first State of the Union address, President Barack Obama will focus on four main themes: creating jobs, addressing the deficit, changing Washington and helping middle class families. Obama will also discuss his bid to take on immigration, energy, education and financial reform-all issues the president has said fit into his plan to rebuild the economy, AP reported.
Immigration Report 