GOP Moves to Force Immigration Vote
By JULIE HIRSCHFELD DAVIS
Associated Press
March 11, 2008
Page 2 of 2
''I think it makes it harder for the majority to do nothing,'' Rep. Adam Putnam, R-Fla, said of the idea last week. ''On a district-by-district basis, there will be places where this is an important issue.''
Shuler has said he would sign the petition. He's one of several conservative-leaning freshman lawmakers whose elections in Republican or swing districts gave Democrats control of the House in 2006, handing Pelosi the speaker's gavel. He won his race amid Republican efforts to tie him to Pelosi, including an ad that accused him of plotting with Democrats ''to take over Congress with the votes of illegal immigrants.''
''He does support the (legislation) and would like to see an up-or-down vote,'' said Andrew Whalen, Shuler's spokesman. ''He would prefer that it didn't become a political issue.''
Some Democrats said they are eager to debate the legislation.
''It's a very big issue. I hear a lot about it, and that's why I want to bring it to the floor,'' said Rep. Jason Altmire, D-Pa., another first-termer who is co-sponsoring the bill. ''We need to address it. Let's just bring it all to the floor and see what wins.''
Even some Democrats who back Shuler's bill bristle at the idea of joining Republicans to force a vote on it, voicing concern that they're being used as political pawns.
''For their presidential candidate to have supported amnesty and for them to be pulling a stunt like this is pure politics,'' said Rep. Lincoln Davis, D-Tenn., a co-sponsor of Shuler's bill.
In the Senate, a group of mostly conservative Republicans last week unveiled a package of legislation to crack down on illegal immigration and secure the border. They, too, said they would use procedural tactics to get Democrats on the record on the volatile immigration issue.
Democrats are trying to turn the tables, hoping that Republicans' efforts to push get-tough immigration measures will hurt McCain with Hispanic voters and independents, two groups that have supported him in the past.
In a letter to McCain last week, Sen. Robert Menendez, D-N.J., called on the Arizonan to reject the GOP leaders' plans, calling them ''draconian and divisive.''
''Such a rejection will let this nation's 44 million Latinos know that demonizing them for political purposes will not be tolerated and that the more hateful rhetoric in the immigration debate has no place in our country's civic discourse,'' Menendez wrote.
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