Senate Bill Clears Major Legislative Hurdle

Advocates Gear Up for Floor Debate

WASHINGTON — The Senate Judiciary Committee today voted to allow S. 744, the bipartisan immigration reform bill, to be considered on the Senate floor. The committee considered hundreds of amendments to the legislation, many of which, if passed, would have killed the bill. Below is a statement from Marielena Hincapié, executive director of the National Immigration Law Center:

“The ‘Gang of 8’ bipartisan bill, historic in nature, has survived the Senate Judiciary Committee’s markup process. Most of the worst amendments were rejected, and some of the approved changes to the bill would make the road to citizenship more achievable and restore civil rights.

“However, this multiday, marathon markup session has also given us a glimpse of the anti-immigrant movement’s playbook as the bill moves to the Senate floor. Today, Senators Sessions, Grassley, and Cruz launched a broad-scale attack on working class immigrant families, attempting to keep these families from utilizing the government programs that could help them in realizing their American dreams.

“The questions proposed by these kinds of amendments go beyond the core of an immigration bill. They will help shape what we, as a society, expect of our government. Our fundamental governmental assistance programs — student aid, health care, and nutrition assistance — should help all Americans, whether citizens or aspiring citizens, get on the first rung of the ladder of opportunity.

“Compromises can, and will, be made on this bill. As it heads to the Senate floor, we urge the Senate Gang of 8 to consider how our economy and society will be shaped by these compromises, and to reject short-term political gains that could have long-term policy consequences for our nation.”

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