jack sommerset
09-15-2010, 04:09 PM
Reid tacks on immigration amendment to defense bill.
Sen. Harry Reid announced today that he wants to attach the DREAM Act — which would legalize young immigrants who want to attend college or join the military — to the defense authorization bill next week.
The amendment could become the defense bill's second high-profile add-on, after a provision that would allow an end to the current policy banning gays from serving openly in the military.
It's unclear whether Reid has the votes to pass the DREAM Act amendment, but some senators whom advocates are hoping will support the repeal of "don't ask, don't tell" have in the past filibustered the DREAM Act.
A group that advocates for the end of "don't ask, don't tell," the Servicemembers Legal Defense Network, compiled a list of key senators in the upcoming defense vote. Of the 14 senators, nine voted against even holding a floor debate on the DREAM Act in 2007, the last time it came up in the Senate.
Some of the 14 senators on the list represent swing votes on "don't ask"; the SLDN is lobbying the others to not filibuster the bill.
Aaron Belkin, the director of the pro-repeal Palm Center think tank, told The Upshot that he thinks the "don't ask" repeal is safe, no matter what other amendments are debated or added on.
"The defense authorization bill is a must-pass bill, and I'm sure [Senator Reid] would not do anything to jeopardize its passage," he said. "The bill has never failed to pass in 50 years."
It would take a majority vote of 51 senators to strip the "don't ask, don't tell" amendment from the bill, he added.
But Shari Rendall, director of legislation for the conservative group Concerned Women for America, told Congress.org she will lobby Democrats to vote against the defense bill, and that this amendment may be a boon for her efforts.
"We think that if it's true that Sen. Reid fills the amendment tree, this will give us a good opportunity," she said.
Log Cabin Republicans Director Clarke Cooper tells the Upshot that some Republicans his group lobbies to vote in favor of repeal bring up a "laundry list" of add-ons to the bill they object to, including a provision that allows greater access to abortions for servicewomen overseas, and funding for a second engine for the F-35 fighter jet. (President Obama said he will veto the bill if it includes the funding for the engine, which the military doesn't want.)
Cooper says some of the Republican members' positions may change with the addition of the DREAM Act, but that he does not expect a filibuster of the entire defense bill. If a cloture vote is called, 60 senators must vote yes to debate the bill to avoid a fillibuster. Once senators agree to the debate, amendments may be added or removed from the bill with a majority vote.
Six of the nine key senators who voted no to the DREAM Act in 2007 are Democrats, which makes it seem unlikely that Reid could whip up the votes to pass the amendment now.
Here's the SLDN's list of key senators and whether they voted yes or no to cloture on the DREAM Act in 2007:
• Harry Reid (D-NV) yes
• Mitch McConnell (R-KY) no
• John McCain (R-AZ) didn't vote
• Blanche Lincoln (D-Ark.) yes
• Mark Pryor (D-Ark.)no
• Richard Lugar (R-Ind.) yes
• Jon Tester (D-Mont.) no
• Max Baucus (D-Mont.) no
• Judd Gregg (R-N.H.) no
• Byron Dorgan (D-N.D.) no
• Kent Conrad (D-N.D.) no
• George Voinovich (R-Ohio) no
• Tim Johnson (D-S.D.) yes
• Mark Warner (D-Va.) no.
Sen. Harry Reid announced today that he wants to attach the DREAM Act — which would legalize young immigrants who want to attend college or join the military — to the defense authorization bill next week.
The amendment could become the defense bill's second high-profile add-on, after a provision that would allow an end to the current policy banning gays from serving openly in the military.
It's unclear whether Reid has the votes to pass the DREAM Act amendment, but some senators whom advocates are hoping will support the repeal of "don't ask, don't tell" have in the past filibustered the DREAM Act.
A group that advocates for the end of "don't ask, don't tell," the Servicemembers Legal Defense Network, compiled a list of key senators in the upcoming defense vote. Of the 14 senators, nine voted against even holding a floor debate on the DREAM Act in 2007, the last time it came up in the Senate.
Some of the 14 senators on the list represent swing votes on "don't ask"; the SLDN is lobbying the others to not filibuster the bill.
Aaron Belkin, the director of the pro-repeal Palm Center think tank, told The Upshot that he thinks the "don't ask" repeal is safe, no matter what other amendments are debated or added on.
"The defense authorization bill is a must-pass bill, and I'm sure [Senator Reid] would not do anything to jeopardize its passage," he said. "The bill has never failed to pass in 50 years."
It would take a majority vote of 51 senators to strip the "don't ask, don't tell" amendment from the bill, he added.
But Shari Rendall, director of legislation for the conservative group Concerned Women for America, told Congress.org she will lobby Democrats to vote against the defense bill, and that this amendment may be a boon for her efforts.
"We think that if it's true that Sen. Reid fills the amendment tree, this will give us a good opportunity," she said.
Log Cabin Republicans Director Clarke Cooper tells the Upshot that some Republicans his group lobbies to vote in favor of repeal bring up a "laundry list" of add-ons to the bill they object to, including a provision that allows greater access to abortions for servicewomen overseas, and funding for a second engine for the F-35 fighter jet. (President Obama said he will veto the bill if it includes the funding for the engine, which the military doesn't want.)
Cooper says some of the Republican members' positions may change with the addition of the DREAM Act, but that he does not expect a filibuster of the entire defense bill. If a cloture vote is called, 60 senators must vote yes to debate the bill to avoid a fillibuster. Once senators agree to the debate, amendments may be added or removed from the bill with a majority vote.
Six of the nine key senators who voted no to the DREAM Act in 2007 are Democrats, which makes it seem unlikely that Reid could whip up the votes to pass the amendment now.
Here's the SLDN's list of key senators and whether they voted yes or no to cloture on the DREAM Act in 2007:
• Harry Reid (D-NV) yes
• Mitch McConnell (R-KY) no
• John McCain (R-AZ) didn't vote
• Blanche Lincoln (D-Ark.) yes
• Mark Pryor (D-Ark.)no
• Richard Lugar (R-Ind.) yes
• Jon Tester (D-Mont.) no
• Max Baucus (D-Mont.) no
• Judd Gregg (R-N.H.) no
• Byron Dorgan (D-N.D.) no
• Kent Conrad (D-N.D.) no
• George Voinovich (R-Ohio) no
• Tim Johnson (D-S.D.) yes
• Mark Warner (D-Va.) no.