Senate leaves homebuilders in immigration limbo
NAHB urges lawmakers not to abandon efforts to overhaul the nation’s immigration laws
On June 28, the U.S. Senate effectively ended consideration of immigration reform for the foreseeable future, despite a concerted effort led by Washington, D.C.-based National Association of Home Builders (NAHB).
The Secure Borders, Economic Opportunity and Immigration Reform Act of 2007 (S. 1639), was shelved indefinitely when lawmakers were unable to muster the 60 votes necessary to end debate and proceed towards a final vote. The motion failed 46 to 53.
Prior to the decisive vote, senators were in the process of debating 27 amendments—all of critical concern to home builders—which were divided nearly evenly between Republicans and Democrats. The bipartisan amendment, offered by Senators Charles Grassley (R-Iowa), Max Baucus (D-Mont.) and Barack Obama (D-Ill.), would have enabled small business owners to play a constructive role in the enforcement of new laws.
Highlighting the importance of this issue to the housing community, NAHB wrote letters to all 100 senators, arranged for builders to visit Senate offices and, through their BuilderLink, mobilized the association’s national grassroots members.
In addition, NAHB ran a full page advertisement in USA Today on June 26th stating its position, and in an open letter, NAHB urged all Americans to call their U.S. senators and ask them to support the bipartisan amendment, noting that it “helps make the new immigration rules much more workable for small businesses and the nation’s home builders.
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