Former Texas Congressman Dick Armey, a Republican with a history of criticism for Democrats, turned his attention towards the efforts of the House, with regards to their approach with immigration.   

The Miami Herald reports that Armey has been critical of the immigration bill introduced by the house, which does not acknowledge the guest-worker system implemented by the Senate and supported by President Bush.  "This has been rallied up by a lot of people that are very visible, make a lot of noise and have never been guilty of any deep thinking," Armey said of his party’s Congressmen.  

Armey accused Congressmen by name, particularly Rep. Tom Tancredo, R-Colo., who Armey referred to as the "cheerleader of jerkiness in the immigration debate."  Tancredo heads an alliance of House Republicans who oppose the president’s guest-worker plan.  Army also had words for House Judiciary Chairman James Sensenbrenner, R-Wis., chief sponsor of the House immigration bill:  "I would have expected more deep thought from Sensenbrenner," Armey had to say about his former colleague.  

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The U.S. House of Representatives and Senate each passed a bill that would allow hundreds of miles of new fences along the U.S.-Mexico border.  Approximately $1.2 billion would be allotted for the fiscal year beginning October 1.  The bill was passed in each house by a wide and President Bush signed the bill into law.  

The money "will accelerate Homeland Security department’s goal of obtaining operational control of these borders in less than five years," said Rep. Harold Rogers, R-Ky. An estimated 12 million illegal immigrants are believed to live in the United States and a majority have entered through the large southwestern border shared with Mexico .  

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H.R.5813 : To amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to provide for improvements in the management and operations of the Department of Homeland Security, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep Rogers, Mike D. (AL) [AL-3] (introduced /17/2006) Committees: House Homeland Security; House Budget
Latest Major Action: 7/18/2006 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Management, Integration, and Oversight.  

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H.R.6283 : To amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to make changes related to family-sponsored immigrants and to reduce the number of such immigrants.
Sponsor: Rep Gingrey, Phil [GA-11] (introduced 9/29/2006)      
Committees: House Judiciary
Latest Major Action: 9/29/2006 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.  

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H.R.6294 : To provide children born in the United States with the same citizenship and immigration status as their mothers.
Committees: House Judiciary
Latest Major Action: 9/29/2006 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.  

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H.R.6306 : To enhance the security of the borders of the United States .
Sponsor: Rep Spratt, John M., Jr. [SC-5] (introduced 9/29/2006) Committees: House Homeland Security; House Judiciary; House Government Reform; House Armed Services; House Ways and Means
Latest Major Action: 9/29/2006 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the Committee on Homeland Security, and in addition to the Committees on the Judiciary, Government Reform, Armed Services, and Ways and Means, 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.  

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S.3946 : A bill to make an alien who is a member of a criminal gang removable from the United States and inadmissible to the United States, to permit the Secretary of Homeland Security to deny a visa to an alien who is a national of a country that has denied or delayed accepting an alien removed from the United States, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Sen Frist, William H. [TN] (introduced 9/27/2006)      
Committees: Senate Judiciary
Latest Major Action: 9/27/2006 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.  

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S.3947 : A bill to permit the Secretary of Homeland Security to grant citizenship to an alien who serves on active duty in the Armed Forces, to assist such an alien in applying for citizenship, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Sen Frist, William H. [TN] (introduced 9/27/2006)      
Committees: Senate Judiciary
Latest Major Action: 9/27/2006 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.