After all, if the House and/or Senate go Democrat this year, we will never get an amnesty-free border bill passed and signed.

A final decision on what do about immigration policy awaits a meeting this week of senior Republicans. But key lawmakers and aides who set the Congressional agenda say they now believe it would be politically risky to try to advance an immigration measure that would showcase party divisions and need to be completed in the 19 days Congress is scheduled to meet before breaking for the election.

President Bush had made comprehensive changes in immigration laws a priority, even making the issue the subject of a prime-time address, but House Republicans have been determined not to move ahead with any legislation that could be construed as amnesty for anyone who entered the country illegally. They held hearings around the country in recent weeks to contrast their enforcement-only bill with a Senate measure that could lead to citizenship for some.

“I don’t see how you bridge that divide between us and the Senate,” said Representative Peter T. King, Republican of New York and chairman of the Homeland Security Committee. “I don’t see it happening. I really don’t.”

Democrats say they are not surprised by the immigration impasse and believe some Republicans would prefer to keep the issue alive to stir conservative voters rather than reach a legislative solution.

This will not please the GOP base -- no matter how good the legislation the GOP leadership is preparing to deal with is.

With Congress reconvening Tuesday after an August break, Republicans in the House and Senate say they will focus on Pentagon and domestic security spending bills, port security legislation and measures that would authorize the administrationÂ’s terror surveillance program and create military tribunals to try terror suspects.

All of that is important -- and all of it should have been dealt with sooner. And the failure to deal with immigration issues because of divisions within the Congress simply means that an issue that resonates with many voters across the political spectrum will never pass in this Congress.

Posted by: Greg at 10:07 PM | Comments (3) | Add Comment
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