Legislative Update

On Wednesday, President Bush signed two bills implementing international free trade agreements. H.R. 2738, the United States-Chile Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act, became public law 108-77. H.R. 2739, the United States-Singapore Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act, became public law 108-78. Bush said the United States is now negotiating with Australia and Morocco, five nations in Central America and the Southern African Customs Union and will soon begin negotiations with Bahrain and the Dominican Republic.

A day later the Senate Appropriations Committee unanimously approved legislation to prohibit the Office of the US Trade Representative from entering into trade agreements containing immigration provisions. Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) sponsored the legislation, which was tacked on as an amendment to a funding measure for the Departments of Commerce, Justice, and State.

"I strongly believe that trade agreements are not the appropriate vehicle for enacting immigration laws, because they interfere with Congress plenary powers to regulate this nations immigration policy, including the admission of foreign nationals," Feinstein said.

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The following bills were recently introduced in Congress.

H.J. RES. 67, sponsored by Rep John Conyers, Jr., (introduced 9/3/3003), proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States to permit persons who are not natural-born citizens of the United States, but who have been citizens of the United States for at least 20 years, to be eligible to hold the Office of President.

http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/t2GPO/http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?dbname=108_cong_bills&docid=f:hj67ih.txt.pdf

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H.R. 3002, sponsored by Rep Bob Beauprez, (introduced 9/4/2003), to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to suspend the tax exempt status of designated foreign terrorist groups, and for other purposes.

http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/t2GPO/http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?dbname=108_cong_bills&docid=f:h3002ih.txt.pdf

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H.R. 3013, Rep Zach Wamp, (introduced 9/4/2003), to require the Secretary of Homeland Security to conduct a public hearing before establishing or relocating any Quick Response Team that works with State and local law enforcement officers to take illegal and criminal aliens into custody and remove them from the United States.

http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/t2GPO/http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?dbname=108_cong_bills&docid=f:h3013ih.txt.pdf

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S. 1580, sponsored by Senator Orrin Hatch, (introduced 9/3/2003), to amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to extend the special immigrant religious worker program.

http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/t2GPO/http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?dbname=108_cong_bills&docid=f:s1580is.txt.pdf

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For a review of all the immigration bills introduced this year, visit our legislative chart at www.visalaw.com/advocacy.html.