vote 64-35
WASHINGTON (AP)
The Senate voted Tuesday to jump-start a stalled immigration measure to legalize millions of unlawful immigrants.
President Bush said the bill offered a “historic opportunity for Congress to act,” and appeared optimistic about its passage by week’s end.
The pivotal test-vote was 64-35 to revive the divisive legislation. It still faces formidable obstacles in the Senate, including bitter opposition by GOP conservatives and attempts by some waverers in both parties to revise its key elements.
Supporters needed 60 votes to scale procedural hurdles and return to the bill. A similar test-vote earlier this month found just 45 supporters, only seven of them Republicans. This time, 24 Republicans joined 39 Democrats and independent Sen. Joseph I. Lieberman of Connecticut, to back moving ahead with the bill. Opposing the move were 25 Republicans, nine Democrats and independent Sen. Bernard Sanders of Vermont.
Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, D-Mass., an architect of the bill, said he was proud of the vote, calling it “a major step forward for our national security, for our economy, and for our humanity.”
“We did the right thing today because we know the American people sent us here to act on our most urgent problems. We know they will not stand for small political factions getting in the way,” Kennedy said in a statement following the vote.
Tuesday’s outcome was far from conclusive, however. The measure still must overcome another make-or-break vote as early as Thursday that will also require the backing of 60 senators. And there is no guarantee that it will ultimately attract even the simple majority it needs to pass.
The Senate was preparing to begin voting as early as Tuesday afternoon on some two dozen amendments that have the potential to either sap its support or draw new backers.
Grouped By Vote Position CLICK to see list………….
YEAs -—64
Akaka (D-HI)
Bennett (R-UT)
Biden (D-DE)
Bingaman (D-NM)
Bond (R-MO)
Boxer (D-CA)
Brown (D-OH)
Brownback (R-KS)
Burr (R-NC)
Cantwell (D-WA)
Cardin (D-MD)
Carper (D-DE)
Casey (D-PA)
Clinton (D-NY)
Coleman (R-MN)
Collins (R-ME)
Conrad (D-ND)
Craig (R-ID)
Dodd (D-CT)
Domenici (R-NM)
Durbin (D-IL)
Ensign (R-NV)
Feingold (D-WI)
Feinstein (D-CA)
Graham (R-SC)
Gregg (R-NH)
Hagel (R-NE)
Harkin (D-IA)
Inouye (D-HI)
Kennedy (D-MA)
Kerry (D-MA)
Klobuchar (D-MN)
Kohl (D-WI)
Kyl (R-AZ)
Lautenberg (D-NJ)
Leahy (D-VT)
Levin (D-MI)
Lieberman (ID-CT)
Lincoln (D-AR)
Lott (R-MS)
Lugar (R-IN)
Martinez (R-FL)
McCain (R-AZ)
McConnell (R-KY)
Menendez (D-NJ)
Mikulski (D-MD)
Murkowski (R-AK)
Murray (D-WA)
Nelson (D-FL)
Nelson (D-NE)
Obama (D-IL)
Pryor (D-AR)
Reed (D-RI)
Reid (D-NV)
Salazar (D-CO)
Schumer (D-NY)
Snowe (R-ME)
Specter (R-PA)
Stevens (R-AK)
Voinovich (R-OH)
Warner (R-VA)
Webb (D-VA)
Whitehouse (D-RI)
Wyden (D-OR)
NAYs -—35
Alexander (R-TN)
Allard (R-CO)
Barrasso (R-WY)
Baucus (D-MT)
Bayh (D-IN)
Bunning (R-KY)
Byrd (D-WV)
Chambliss (R-GA)
Coburn (R-OK)
Cochran (R-MS)
Corker (R-TN)
Cornyn (R-TX)
Crapo (R-ID)
DeMint (R-SC)
Dole (R-NC)
Dorgan (D-ND)
Enzi (R-WY)
Grassley (R-IA)
Hatch (R-UT)
Hutchison (R-TX)
Inhofe (R-OK)
Isakson (R-GA)
Landrieu (D-LA)
McCaskill (D-MO)
Roberts (R-KS)
Rockefeller (D-WV)
Sanders (I-VT)
Sessions (R-AL)
Shelby (R-AL)
Smith (R-OR)
Stabenow (D-MI)
Sununu (R-NH)
Tester (D-MT)
Thune (R-SD)
Vitter (R-LA)
I feel absolutely betrayed. By this vote, I know this isn’t the real vote this is to add amendments, meaning a bunch of people are willing to sell their votes, Senators, at the expense of their country.
That doesn’t say much about them as people either.
Also I heard on Rush today, that some Illegal wrote to an Editor in a local paper, and it said, they are 10 % of the population and they are responsible for 90% of the crime and it is the ‘Gringos’ fault.
These are the people Bush wants for our neighbors ? I don’t think so , I will fight this to the end.
I’m really begining to wonder if we can afford
to have Bush in office another 18 months…I
never thought I would say any thing like that
but I think the clown has really lost it…
This crap puts Bush right in line with Carter
it’s a toss-up which one history will judge
the worst…
I wrote my Senator, Kit Bond, yesterday and asked him not to vote for this bill. He voted for it.
During the 2006 election, I voted against Clair McCaskill-D, in our Senatorial election. She voted against the bill. You know, she’s been pretty pro military since she’s been elected. I think I will support her in the future as long as she is also pro gun. From the looks of things, I’ve been supporting the wrong people here in Missouri.
Tincan Sailor and Bobf you two just hit the nail on the head. The Republicans have regressed back to the party of the Rockefellors, where they don’t care what the people think and could care less what is good for America.
The vote today just continues this nightmare, and from what I have read and heard, it will pass if the right palms are crossed with the right amount of Silver.
Off topic, I always heard that Sailors on Tincans or Destroyers got sub-pay, is that right ? From what I always saw of them, they spent half their time under water in rough seas.
You got to be something special to get on one of those things.
Hope all of those Judas’ in the Senate choke on their 30 pieces of silver. Martinez is gone is 2010.
A dark day in American history. Our government has stopped representing us. Our President has favored foreigners over Americans.
This horrendous bill may yet be killed in the Senate, but that chance looks slim. The House is our last hope.
Wish we could flush the waste that is George Bush.
To all of you, as Mark said, I feel betrayed too.
Here in Florida there is the Dem. Nelson and the Republican Martinez. Both voted for it. I sent so many emails to both of them and the weird thing is, Nelson is the only one that answered and he is the Democrat. Not that it mattered Nelson is still vile even if he did answer me. But how rude of the Republican not to reply.
Our elected leaders in general do not care, the power has gone to their head. And they will be sorry when the next election comes and they are begging for a vote and I say…sorry I can’t hear you.
Mark,
Some folks got sea sick while we were still tied
up a the dock.When it was rough lets just say it
was never dull.At chow we would take a slice of
bread and stick our tray to the table,when you
have trays and food sliding around on the deck
more than one would toss their lunch….