MyNuW

President Bush yesterday told Hispanics to step into the middle of the
immigration debate and make sure senators who have been bombarded with
calls from opponents also hear from those who support the bill.

    "There's a lot of emotion on this issue, and it makes sense to
have people from around the country come and sit down with members of
Congress to talk rationally about the issue," he told those attending
the Hispanic Prayer Breakfast in Washington yesterday.

    He was speaking a day after the bill, which collapsed last
week, was revived by the top Democrat and Republican in the Senate.

    Majority Leader Harry Reid, Nevada Democrat, agreed to put the
bill back on the Senate's schedule next week, and Minority Leader Mitch
McConnell, Kentucky Republican, agreed to limit the number of
amendments Republicans would offer.

    But roadblocks are already popping up.

    Sen. Jim DeMint, South Carolina Republican, said he will block
any attempt to send the bill to an eventual House-Senate conference,
complicating the usual path a bill takes to reach the president's desk.

    "Ted Kennedy has sold us another bill of goods and I don't
trust him to make even more changes to it behind closed doors in a
conference with the House," Mr. DeMint said, referring to the
Massachusetts Democrat who has spearheaded the bill along with Sen. Jon
Kyl, Arizona Republican.

    Senate aides said Mr. DeMint's threat is many steps away, and
they will address it when they come to it. But Democrats said it does
underscore some Republicans' repeated attempts to block the bill.

Read more here:

http://washingtontimes.com/national/20070616-121122-4797r.htm