SENATE REVIVES AMNESTY BILL with CLOTURE VOTE - June 26, 2007

SENATE REVIVES AMNESTY BILL WITH CLOTURE VOTE - June 26, 2007

64 - 35 Roll Call Vote resumes debate until next June 28, 2007 cloture vote

Continue contacting Senators to vote "No" to Amnesty bill (S.1639)

on next cloture vote to end debate, on Thursday, June 28, 2007 !!!

[see re-numbered S.1639 bill status and roll call votes at

D.C. Capitol Switchboard: 202-224-3121 (call and ask for your Senator's office by name)

Toll-free #'s for D.C. Capitol switchboard:

1-866-220-0044 1-866-340-9281 1-888-355-3588 1-800-833-6354

1-800-450-8293 1-877-851-6437 1-877-762-8722 1-877-762-8762

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Tuesday, June 26, 2007

INVASION USA

Senate resurrects immigration bill

Plan opposed by most Americans wins crucial vote to move forward

Posted: June 26, 2007

12:37 p.m. Eastern

[emphasis added]

[photo of Capitol Bldg]

Backers of the controversial immigration reform bill in the Senate

got the 60 votes they needed to clear procedural hurdles and resurrect

the bill today.

Two weeks ago, only 45 senators supported a vote for cloture that would cut off debate and

proceed to a vote.

Today, senators voted 64-35 to move the legislation forward.

[ CCL Note: see S.1639 at for Roll Call on today's cloture vote. ]

The Senate is scheduled to resume debate this afternoon, addressing some of the more than

two dozen amendments that could make or break the bill.

A cloture vote to close debate, requiring 60 senators, likely will come later this week,

followed by a final tally, which will require only a majority.

As WND reported, despite a vigorous White House effort to rally support for the bill,

only 22 percent of Americans favor it, according to a new national survey.

The plan would provide a path to legal status for the estimated 12-20 million illegal aliens

now in the U.S. Opponents call the provision amnesty, because it allows illegals to acquire

a "probationary" visa after only a quick, 24-hour background check. The White House

contends the carefully crafted compromise would focus first on enforcement, allowing

for more Border Patrol agents, more cameras and other technologies.

More to come …

______

South Carolina voters:

Keep calling pro-Amnesty, McCain protege, Senator Lindsey Graham !

McCain and Graham were in South Carolina Monday, June 25, trying to

sell Immigration Amnesty bill to South Carolina voters...

______

Graham, McCain try to sell immigration bill

The State, Columbia, SC

Posted on Tue, Jun. 26, 2007

[emphasis added]

Graham, McCain try to sell immigration bill

GOP senators tout controversial reform before today's Senate vote

By RODDIE A. BURRIS

On the eve of a momentous, do-or-die Senate vote on immigration reform,

Sens. Lindsey Graham and John McCain, R-Ariz., were in South Carolina

on Monday talking up the legislation.

Graham, a South Carolina Republican and one of the Senate’s most vocal players

supporting the President Bush-backed bill that clears a way to citizenship for millions

of illegal immigrants, spoke to a leadership group in Columbia.

McCain, who is a slipping 2008 presidential hopeful, attended fundraisers in

Greenville and Columbia.

“I’m hopeful we can move forward in a first test vote (today) and pass comprehensive

immigration (reform) by the end of the week,” McCain told reporters.

Senate supporters failed two weeks ago to muster enough votes to keep the controversial

immigration reform bill alive. It took visits to Capitol Hill from Bush and Vice President

Dick Cheney to revive the measure, which opponents have denounced as amnesty.

Opposition in S.C. has been intense.

[ CCL Note: This push by Bush & Co. is reminiscent of the full-court press launched by

President Bush back in July 2005 on Capitol Hill in connection with the US House vote

on the Central American Free Trade Agreement, CAFTA, which, like the present

Immigration Amnesty bill, is also directed towards establishing a regional government

in our hemisphere,modelled after the European Union. Here in South Carolina, this

resulted in the betrayal of his constituents by "CAFTA Joe" Rep. Joe Wilson (R-SC),

who had said he would vote against CAFTA, and then switched his vote in favor of

CAFTA at the last minute, during the Bush arm-twisting and deal-making operation,

resulting in the CAFTA legislation passing by only a 217 to 215 vote.

The present Amnesty bill focus of these globalists is on laying the groundwork for the

North American Union (NAU) ( Canada / United States / Mexico ), being pushed by

a premier New World Order advocacy group, the Council on Foreign Relations. ]

“If this bill passes, all things are possible,” Graham said, speaking to the Leadership

Columbia Alumni Association.

Both lawmakers have come under fire for their support of the party-splitting reform bill, which

would fine illegal immigrants and force them to return to their country of origin temporarily

while also providing security upgrades to the U.S. border with Mexico.

McCain, who once led all Republicans in the race to succeed Bush, has plummeted

in state and national polls, now running third in the Palmetto State, amid speculation

he might drop out of the ’08 race in the fall.

“That’s never crossed my mind,” McCain said, though acknowledging fundraising has been

“very tough.” Presidential candidates are scrambling to wrap up campaign contributions

reportable by June 30, when second-quarter reports are due.

McCain said he expected to see an improvement in his campaign finances by September.

“We’re going to be just fine,” he said. “We’re going to win.”

Meanwhile Graham, who holds the Senate seat vacated by the late Strom Thurmond is

at deep odds with many in his party over immigration. He has drawn threats of primary

challengers, along with boos and hisses at party gatherings.

Graham made light of himself while in Columbia, brushed off the lambasting he has taken

from some quarters and stood his ground in support of his unpopular position.

“Leadership doesn’t mean you’re heroic, just that you raise your hand when no one else will.

If we will deal with immigration in a realistic way, we will make our country stronger,” he said,

touting the need for merit-based immigration reform.

Graham did not take questions from the audience, citing a scheduling glitch.

“We were hoping to have time to ask questions, but we are glad to have him here as our speaker,”

said Ed Madden, the leadership association’s president.

Graham said he believes the country supports reform. He predicted the immigration

measure will gain the 60 votes needed today to reach the Senate floor and that

it will gain passage and move to the House.

“Most senators have come to the conclusion that to do nothing is silent amnesty,”

Graham said.

Sen. Jim DeMint, a fellow S.C. Republican and a critic of the immigration bill, said there

were 34 “solid no” votes against the legislation heading into the new round of debate,

with 10-12 senators’ votes “still in play.”

Its foes would need 40 votes to be certain of defeating it because backers must gain 60 votes

to end floor consideration and proceed to a vote on final passage.

“Momentum against the bill is building as more and more people take a stand,”

DeMint told reporters at the Capitol.

Reach Burris at (803) 771-8398. Staff Writer James Rosen contributed to this report.

______

Steve Lefemine

Columbia, SC

June 26, 2007