Immigration Reform Legislation Stalls Again in the Senate

News Date June 29, 2007

This week, the Senate took two cloture votes to proceed with debate on the comprehensive immigration reform legislation, S. 1639, that includes the AgJOBS (Agricultural Job Opportunity, Benefits, and Security) Act provisions. One was approved on Tuesday of this week by a vote of 64 to 35 but then on Thursday, after consideration of several amendments, the Senate voted 46 to 53 not to proceed. This vote was 14 short of the required 60 votes to proceed with debate and a final vote on the legislation. The bill was then pulled from the Senate floor by Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) without further consideration. The text of S. 1639 is essentially the same as S.1348 plus all amendments adopted during the last round of debate. On June 25, NASDA President Valoria Loveland sent letters to each senator urging them to vote "yes" on the cloture motion to proceed. "The agricultural industries that I represent in Washington State are in desperate need for Congress to act on immigration reform, and I hear from my colleagues from coast to coast that we are not alone. We are united in our view that immigration reform must be addressed," said Loveland in the letter which is posted on NASDA's website. 

The Agriculture Coalition for Immigration Reform (ACIR) expressed its deepest disappointment at the Senate's failure to pass a crucial procedural motion to complete debate and hold a final vote on S.1639, comprehensive immigration reform. The bill contained an urgently-needed overhaul of the broken 50-year-old H-2A agricultural worker program and a tough earned legalization program for experienced farmworkers. It was strongly favored by American agriculture and seen by most in and beyond agriculture as the best way to accomplish the intertwined goals of border security, a credible employment eligibility verification program, and access to a legal and stable workforce. "The border will continue to tighten, the crops to ripen, more will rot, economic and human hardship will rise, our food security and economy will suffer," said Luawanna Hallstrom, cochair of ACIR and vine-ripe tomato producer based in southern California. She added, "The choice of the status quo over a better future is nothing short of an indictment of the politicians who voted no, and especially those who mobilized to kill this bill. They have let an historic moment pass, and the American people expect and deserve better." 

"Despite the setback, ACIR is undaunted in the quest for lasting and bipartisan reforms" said Craig Regelbrugge, ACIR co-chair and vice president for government relations with the American Nursery & Landscape Association. "Lives, livelihoods, and economies are at stake." ACIR leadership expresses its sincerest appreciation to the senators who led the monumental effort for reform, including Senators Diane Feinstein (D-Calif.) and Larry Craig (R-Idaho), Jon Kyl (R-Ariz.) and Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.), John McCain (R-Ariz.), Arlen Specter (R-Pa.), Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) and Ken Salazar (D-Colo.), and all senators who provided support on critical votes throughout the effort. Also, ACIR recognizes the tireless leadership of President Bush and key administration officials, including Commerce Secretary Gutierrez, Homeland Security Secretary Chertoff, and Agriculture Secretary Johanns. (Contact: Jennifer Yezak)