Immigrant bill attains magic 60

http://www.thehill.com/news/050404/immigrant.aspx

With President Bush’s immigration bill languishing in Congress, the Senate is poised to pass bipartisan legislation that would grant legal status to hundreds of thousands of immigrant farm workers.

After seven years of negotiations, the measure picked up its 60th co-sponsor yesterday, giving it the filibuster-proof margin required to pass controversial bills.

“In this year, an election year, where it seems like so little is going to get passed, 60 really gives us the ability to get it moving,” said a spokesman for Idaho Republican Sen. Larry Craig, who introduced the legislation with Sen. Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.) last fall.

Sen. Jay Rockefeller (D-W.Va.) was the 60th co-sponsor. He followed Sens. Barbara Mikulski (D-Md.) and Bill Nelson (D-Fla.), who signed on last week.

What does it give farm workers? Is it limited to farm workers?

Congress.

<< With its strong showing of support, the bill may be the only major immigration-reform measure to emerge from Congress this year after Bush highlighted immigration in his State of the Union address. Bush’s proposal cratered in Congress, having met with strong opposition from conservatives concerned that it would essentially give amnesty to the estimated 8 million to 10 million illegal immigrants now living in the United States. >>

Another ~10 million American residents! I wonder how many are men of draft age (under the age of 25) will have to register? Uncle Sam just might want them once they get your Green Card (do they get one?). Citizenship? You get that AFTER you are honorably discharged. :grr: