Senate group resolves key issues on immigration reform: lawmakers




2013 MLB jerseys cheap With U.S. business and labor now in agreement, a bipartisan group of senators has resolved all major issues in a pending deal to overhaul the U.S. immigration system and aims to unveil it after Congress reconvenes in the second week of April, key lawmakers said on Sunday.
The lawmakers said that while there was no final deal yet, they hope and even expect there to be one soon after the measure is put into legislative language so all eight senators in the group can review it.
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the biggest U.S. business group, and the AFL-CIO, the largest labor federation, reached an elusive agreement on a guest-worker program on Friday, clearing the way for the writing of a full bill.
The bill will include an earned pathway to U.S. citizenship for an estimated 11 million undocumented immigrants, bolstered border security and ways for business to meet the need for both high-skilled and low-skilled workers. new MLB Toronto Blue Jays jerseys
"With the agreement between business and labor, every major policy issue has been resolved," said Senator Charles Schumer, a New York Democrat and a member of the so-called Gang of Eight, which has four Democrats and four Republicans.
"We've all agreed that we're not going to come to a final agreement until we see draft legislative language and we agree on that," Schumer told NBC's "Meet the Press."
But Schumer added: "I don't think any of us expect there to be problems."
Republican Senator Jeff Flake of Arizona, another member of the group, also appeared on "Meet the Press," and said: "We're committed to this if we can get the language right."
Republican Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, another member of the group, said: "I think we've got a deal."
"There are a few details yet," he said on CNN's "State of the Union" program. "But conceptually we have an agreement between business and labor, between ourselves that has to be drafted. It will be rolled out next week."cheap women blank mlb jerseys
CONFIDENCE
Graham voiced confidence that the bill would eventually be approved by the Democratic-led Senate and Republican-led House of Representatives - provided President Barack Obama, as expected, actively rallies support for it.
The Gang of Eight had initially planned to have a bill by the end of March but now plans to unveil it in the week of April 8, when Congress returns from a two-week recess.
Republican Senator Marco Rubio of Florida, another member of the Gang of Eight and a potential 2016 White House contender, said the senators had made "substantial progress" on a deal, but were not yet finished.
"I'm encouraged by reports of an agreement between business groups and unions on the issue of guest workers. However, reports that the bipartisan group of eight senators have agreed on a legislative proposal are premature," Rubio said in a statement issued by his office.cheap 2013 nba basketball jerseys
Still, Rubio said: "I believe we will be able to agree on a legislative proposal that modernizes our legal immigration system, improves border security and enforcement and allows those here illegally to earn the chance to one day apply for permanent residency contingent upon certain triggers being met."
Rubio, the son of Cuban immigrants, made it clear that he expects a lengthy legislative process.
"We will need a healthy public debate that includes committee hearings and the opportunity for other senators to improve our legislation with their own amendments," he said.
Republicans have complained that a pathway toward U.S. citizenship would amount to "amnesty" and attract even more undocumented immigrants into the United States.
But members of the Gang of Eight have voiced confidence that the "earned pathway" toward citizenship that they drafted, which includes a requirement that immigrants pay a fine, pay back taxes and learn English, will attract Republican support.wholesale new nba jerseys
"I hope that we can pull some Republicans our way. I think a number of them are with us already," Flake said.
Schumer served as a mediator in a conference call on Friday between the head of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Tom Donohue, and the president of the AFL-CIO, Richard Trumka, a source said.