In an interview with George Stephanopoulos, Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist revealed some of his thoughts regarding the upcoming immigration reform.  When asked directly about his position on a guest-worker program, Frist responded by first addressing the issue of border security.  For Frist, the primary objective of the upcoming Senate Floor debate will be tightening our borders and enacting “interior enforcement” to deal with undocumented immigration as it moves inland.  Frist’s third objective for the Senate debate is the need and nature of a guest-worker program.  With President Bush and Senator McCain in support of a guest worker program, Frist has cautiously skirted the issue, claiming that his decision will made when a proposal is offered.  More concretely however, Senator Frist stated that he believes a guest-worker program will be approved when the Senate finishes debating the issues in upcoming days. 

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Recent immigration legislation was condemned by Atlanta Archbishop Wilton Gregory for its dispassionate stance toward immigrants.  Looking at the proposals both within the state of Georgia and the Nation, Archbishop Gregory turned to scripture to argue against legislation that would deny immigrants access to necessities like health care and education.  Archbishop Gregory coauthored his six page “pastoral letter” with Savannah Bishop Kevin Boland.  The letter appeals to the Christian duty to welcome strangers and offer them assistance.  As well as stating our religious obligation, Archbishop Gregory also encouraged legislators to look to our past and recognize that the United States is a nation of immigrants.  Though much of the letter is dedicated to arguing against legislation, Gregory writes in support of the Kennedy-McCain proposal which he feels is fair and comprehensive. 

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Mexican President Vicinte Fox has expressed doubts about the current US policy on immigration.  With plans to tighten border security and construct a fence along the Mexican border, the US will be cutting off a valuable source of labor in the coming years.  According to Kevin Hall of the Kansas City Star, Fox claimed that the US is making a mistake in preventing immigration.  President Fox believes that shutting off the flow of laborers between the countries will cause the US to run into major difficulties after the baby boom generation begins to enter into retirement. 

Fox, an advocate for more labor alliances with the United States, was making progress towards a more open border before the events of 9/11.  After the terrorist attacks, President Bush placed national security as a border priority.  Despite the tightened security, Mexican citizens still brave border crossings in order to find work in the US.  Fox claims that this will not always be the case due to the declining population growth of Mexico.  Fox pointed to the year 2010 as a time when both Mexico and the US will be in need of laborers, and argued that immigration to the US would be slowed by a surplus of open jobs in the Mexican market.  Analysts agree that Mexico’s declining population growth will open up more jobs in Mexico, but question whether these jobs will be enough to draw workers away from the higher paying jobs in the United States.  With a strengthening Mexican economy and an inflation rate lower than the United States, it is debatable whether or not Mexican jobs will be able to compete with American employers.  Unfortunately for Fox, he will not be in office when the labor scales tilt.  His presidency will expire in nine months.

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Colorado has just passed two immigration bills aimed at reducing identification counterfeiting and increasing police enforcement of undocumented immigration.  These bills were the only two of nine proposals to pass.  Senate bill 90, which is targeted at reducing undocumented immigration, will increase police strength to help report potential undocumented immigrants to federal authorities.  Bill 110 has created a fifty thousand dollar fine for producing illegal documentation.  Support for the bill came from a desire to target counterfeiters rather than immigrants and put a stop to those profiting off unfortunate immigrant circumstances.   Republicans were quick to praise Democrats for passing these bills after partisan disputes killed the other seven proposals. 

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A provision within Senate Judiciary Chairman Arlen Specter’s immigration bill is causing unease because of its subtle implications.  The provision will require the Department of Homeland Security to work with the Social Security Administration and the Treasury Department to study the possibility of creating temporary worker investment accounts.  This provision is worrisome to both Democrats and Republicans who were against President Bush’s campaign to privatize social security.

The proposed legislation will offer temporary work visas to immigrants who wish to come to the US or are already within US borders.  After the visas expire in six years, proponents of the bill provision hope that the temporary worker investment accounts will encourage immigrants to return home rather than stay in the United States.  The provision will also equalize the market for nationals and immigrants by returning money that immigrants have paid in taxes.  Despite these apparent benefits, detractors are wary.  Fearing conservative attempts to keep the social security issue going, critics have questioned whether the provision is simply a back door attempt to privatize social security in a test population. 

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H.R.4901 : To establish a fact-finding Commission to extend the study of a prior Commission to investigate and determine facts and circumstances surrounding the relocation, internment, and deportation to Axis countries of Latin Americans of Japanese descent from December 1941 through February 1948, and the impact of those actions by the United States, and to recommend appropriate remedies, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep Becerra, Xavier [CA-31] (introduced 3/8/2006)      Cosponsors (2)
Committees: House Judiciary
Latest Major Action: 3/8/2006 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.

H.R.4906 : To improve science, technology, engineering, and mathematics education, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep Ford, Harold E., Jr. [TN-9] (introduced 3/8/2006)      Cosponsors (None)
Committees: House Science; House Education and the Workforce; House Judiciary
Latest Major Action: 3/8/2006 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the Committee on Science, and in addition to the Committees on Education and the Workforce, and the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

H.R.4923 : To abolish the death penalty under Federal law.
Sponsor: Rep Kucinich, Dennis J. [OH-10] (introduced 3/9/2006)      Cosponsors (43)
Committees: House Judiciary
Latest Major Action: 3/9/2006 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.

H.R.4939 : Making emergency supplemental appropriations for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2006, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep Lewis, Jerry [CA-41] (introduced 3/13/2006)      Cosponsors (None)
Committees: House Appropriations
House Reports: 109-388
Latest Major Action: 3/16/2006 Passed/agreed to in House. Status: On passage Passed by the Yeas and Nays: 348 - 71 (Roll no. 65).

H.R.5011 : To award posthumously a congressional gold medal to John Pehle in recognition of his contributions to the Nation in helping rescue Jews and other minorities from the Holocaust during World War II.
Sponsor: Rep Woolsey, Lynn C. [CA-6] (introduced 3/16/2006)      Cosponsors (None)
Committees: House Financial Services
Latest Major Action: 3/16/2006 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Financial Services.

H.R.5012 : -- Private Bill; For the relief of Rafael Camacho, Rosa B. Camacho, and Rosa Camacho.
Sponsor: Rep Waters, Maxine [CA-35] (introduced 3/16/2006)      Cosponsors (None)
Committees: House Judiciary
Latest Major Action: 3/16/2006 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.

S.CON.RES.83 : An original concurrent resolution setting forth the congressional budget for the United States Government for fiscal year 2007 and including the appropriate budgetary levels for fiscal years 2006 and 2008 through 2011.
Sponsor: Sen Gregg, Judd [NH] (introduced 3/10/2006)      Cosponsors (None)
Committees: Senate Budget
Latest Major Action: 3/16/2006 Passed/agreed to in Senate. Status: Resolution agreed to in Senate with amendments by Yea-Nay Vote. 51 - 49. Record Vote Number: 74.