Back in November I wrote about the The Secure America with Verification and Enforcement (SAVE) Act, written by freshman Congressman Heath Shuler (D-N.C.) and Brian Bilbray (R-Calif.). At the time I praised the work of the two freshman for accomplishing something that neither parties leadership has been able to accomplish for the last 20 years. They drafted a bill which would actually remove the incentive for people to come to this country illegally.

One of the more controversial provisions would make the so-called E-Verify program mandatory, a move that raises major concerns with industry officials.

Proponents of the E-Verify program say it allows employers an inexpensive way to ensure they are hiring legally documented workers.

The Shuler-Bilbray bill would also close existing loopholes that allow illegal immigrants to use the same Social Security number and will require information-sharing between the Department of Homeland Security, the Social Security Administration and the IRS.

Last month, Pelosi decided she was going to do anything necessary to prevent meaningful reform from ever occurring. Despite overwhelming public opinion against amnesty for illegal’s, Pelosi and other Democratic leaders wanted to attach an amnesty provision to the SAVE Act. The purpose of this provision was in all likelihood a means to kill the bill altogether, knowing most Congressman would not sign onto a bill that offered amnesty.

Today Investors Business Daily has an editorial informing us that Nancy Pelosi refuses to bring the bill to the floor for a vote.

The bill has 147 co-sponsors from more than half the states, including 49 Democrats, but Speaker Pelosi is leading the fight to prevent a floor vote. It takes 218 signatures on a discharge petition to force a floor vote, and so far 185 have signed the one on SAVE. Interestingly, only 10 of the original Democratic co-sponsors have done so.

If 33 of the original Democratic co-sponsors of the SAVE Act who have not signed the discharge petition were to do so, the bill would proceed to the floor where serious debate on a major issue could begin. But that would require Democrats’ going on record in an election year and doing more than blowing smoke on border security.

Pelosi knows full well this bill would pass a floor vote which is why she refuses to allow that vote to occur. She has bullied other Democrats to the point where 39 co-sponsors of the bill will not sign the discharge petition, and allow an open debate on the issue. Most ethical Congress in history? More like the most spineless one!

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Congress, Dumb Dems, Election 2008, Features, Immigration, Politics