Rocky road to conciliation

BY TOM BRUNE | Newsday Washington Bureau

May 26, 2006

WASHINGTON - Following Senate approval yesterday of a sweeping immigration bill that is at odds with the House's tough enforcement-only measure, congressional leaders now must determine whether they can find a path to compromise on the politically potent and far-reaching legislation.

According to some members and aides in the GOP-dominated House, that path is strewn with obstacles that could very well make it very difficult at best and maybe impossible to reconcile the two starkly different bills.

To deliver a bill this year as President George W. Bush has asked, they say, congressional negotiators must tackle the differences between a Senate bill that offers a path to citizenship for most of the estimated 11 million undocumented immigrants already here and a House measure that makes them criminals and demands they leave the country.

Acknowledging the hard work and potential pitfalls ahead, members of the fragile pro-immigrant coalition hailed the Senate's action as a "historic bipartisan breakthrough" and vowed that mass support would continue to pressure for its liberal approach.

Senate leaders sounded a hopeful note yesterday, after about a third of the Republican senators joined Democrats in a rare bipartisan display to approve the massive comprehensive legislation by a 62-36 vote.

"This is a success for the American people," said Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-Tenn.) after the vote.

In an appeal to House Republicans, Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), an author of the core of the bill that passed, said, "We know we can work this out."

But House Majority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) sounded less conciliatory.

"Now that the Senate has passed a bill," Boehner said in a statement, "we owe it to the American people to seek common ground on responsible solutions, while always stressing our most important priority is to secure our borders and stop illegal immigration."

But Boehner also took a shot at Democrats, accusing them of constantly advocating "troubling policies that encourage open borders and invite more illegal immigrants into our country."

A core of at least 100 GOP House members has vowed to oppose a process leading to citizenship for the undocumented immigrants here, calling it "amnesty," said a House aide.

Among them is Rep. Peter King (R-Seaford), who is likely to be a negotiator from the House. Yesterday King said, "I'm certainly opposed to the Senate bill. No matter what they call it, it's amnesty."

King said he and many others still believe no bill is better than a bad bill, and they call the Senate legislation bad.

But House Republicans also face pressure from traditional allies, including big business and the White House, to do more than scuttle the bill.

"It's pretty clear that members of both houses [of Congress] understand that they pay a heavier political price for failing to act, than for acting," White House spokesman Tony Snow said yesterday.

IMMIGRATION BILL HIGHLIGHTS

Illegal immigrants already in U.S.

Senate: Would allow those here five years or more to become legal residents or citizens after paying $3,250 in fines and taxes and learning English. Those here two to five years would report to a port of entry and apply to return. All others must leave.

House: No provision.

Guest worker program

Senate: Program for 1.5 million farm workers; 200,000 temporary visas a year.

House: No provision.

Enforcement

Senate: Approves 370-mile fence along border. Would add 14,000 Border Patrol agents by 2011. Deportation for those convicted of felonies.

House: Would make it a felony to be in U.S. illegally or to help illegal immigrants enter or remain in U.S.