EPPN: Senate begins immigration reform debate
[Episcopal Public Policy Network – Newsletter] And we’re back! The Senate floor debate began on Friday with opening statements from some members but substantive debate and amendments are expected to start this week!
Over the next 3 weeks amendments will be considered very quickly, so it’s important that your Senators hear from you today in advance of the vote and every day until the Senate passes immigration reform! It will also be important to check Facebook and Twitter for real-time amendment updates.
Amendments are expected related to eligibility for the path to citizenship, access to social services for immigrants, increasing enforcement practices and border militarization, and changes that could negatively impact refugees and asylum seekers. We need 60 votes to pass positive amendments; 41 votes to defeat negative amendments; and a final 60 votes for immigration reform to pass in the Senate. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has said that would like to see the debate finished, and the bill passed by the July 4th recess.
A Senator’s support for or against the bill can change at any moment- over the weekend Senator Ayotte from New Hampshire announced her support for the bill . Make sure that your Senator is hearing from you and knows that you, and Episcopalians across your state, support a comprehensive and humane immigration system that offers an accessible pathway to citizenship, allows families to reunite without undue delay, repeals the 1 year filing deadline for asylum seekers, protects refugees, ensures that all workers are treated fairly, and respects the dignity of every human being through proportional enforcement measures and due process protections.
Just like mark-up, 1-866-940-2439 is the number to call to hear any amendment updates and messaging before you are connected to your Senator. There will be a lot of reporting and hype around this debate but there is no better advocacy than to share with decision makers the great work of welcome happening in our communities and congregations across your state.
Your advocacy has changed our national conversation and gotten us this far- keep up the great work!
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES:
There are a lot of pieces of this bill- want to know what the Episcopal Church has to say? Click here for a full list of immigration and refugee resolutions
Bishop Curry, Episcopal Diocese of North Carolina, filmed an interview with the immigration policy specialist from the North Carolina Council of Churches – watch it here
Your Representatives also need to hear from you – many worry that the House will not support a pathway to citizenship for our undocumented community members. Give them a call at 202- 224-3121.