Measure focused on immigration reform falls short in Senate

WASHINGTON -- Prospects for any kind of immigration reform this year faded last week when the Senate blocked a measure to allow children of illegal immigrants to pursue U.S. citizenship.

The Senate voted 52-44 for the Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors, or DREAM Act, but 60 votes were required to end debate.

The bill would have allowed children of illegal immigrants who entered the United States before age 16 and stayed at least five years to be eligible for citizenship if they attend college or serve at least two years in the military.

Advocates of the DREAM Act said children should not be punished for the illegal immigration of their parents.

Opponents argued the bill would put 1.3 million people on a path to citizenship even though they did not enter the country legally.

Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev., voted for the DREAM Act. Sen. John Ensign, R-Nev., voted against it.

SCHIP VOTE NOT VETO-PROOF

For the third time this year, the House voted to provide health insurance for children, but the margin is still not enough to overcome a presidential veto.

The 265-142 vote to expand the State Children's Health Insurance Program, or SCHIP, included support from 43 Republicans.

Forty-five Republicans voted for a similar bill that passed the House 265-159 on Sept. 25. So Democrats have made little progress since when they first tried to override President Bush's veto and fell 13 votes short. The newest version of the bill would increase SCHIP by about $35 billion over five years to $60 billion.

Supporters of SCHIP said it covers poor children who have no other way to obtain health care. Critics said the newest version of the bill would cause about 2 million families who already have private insurance to drop their coverage so they could enroll in SCHIP.

Reps. Shelley Berkley, D-Nev., and Jon Porter, R-Nev., voted to expand health insurance for children. Rep. Dean Heller, R-Nev., voted against it.

CULTURAL HERITAGE PROTECTED

The House voted 291-122 to increase spending on "cultural heritage zones" and add six new regions to the list.

The bill would authorize up to $15 million over 15 years for each national heritage area, an increase of $5 million.

Heritage areas designate lands important to the nation's cultural traditions.

The new heritage zones would be in Alabama, Arizona, Illinois, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and New York.

Backers of the bill said every federal dollar would be matched by local funds and would allow communities to develop a heritage legacy.

Fiscal conservatives and property rights advocates said the bill would give local governments an unfair advantage in zoning decisions that could harm landowners.

Berkley and Porter voted to increase spending on cultural heritage zones. Heller voted against it.

JUSTICE CONFIRMED

Over the objection of civil rights groups, the Senate voted 59-38 to confirm a former Mississippi appeals court judge to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit.

The controversy over Leslie Southwick stemmed from a 1998 opinion he joined that reinstated a social worker who used a racial epithet to describe a colleague.

Southwick supporters said the Senate should give the president broad discretion in judicial nominations and end the frequent use of filibusters.

Critics noted the federal appeals court Southwick will join covers Texas, Louisiana and Mississippi and justices on that court should be more sensitive about racial issues.

Ensign voted to confirm Southwick. Reid voted against confirming Southwick.

HAWAIIAN RECOGNITION OK'D

Although the vote is not veto-proof, the House passed a bill to authorize federal recognition of native Hawaiians so they can establish a governing entity to represent them in negotiations with federal and state governments.

The legislation, which passed 261-153, is the latest effort to grant indigenous Hawaiians legal status similar to that of American Indian tribes.

Advocates said federal recognition is necessary to promote self-governance.

The Bush administration disagreed and critics said the bill would lead to the enforcement of different codes of law in Hawaii to different races.

Berkley and Porter voted for the bill. Heller voted against it.