Reid adds controversial immigration measure to defense bill
[cnn-photo-caption image= http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2010/images/09/14/art.getty.harry.reid.jpg caption="Harry Reid said he will add the DREAM Act to a defese policy bill next week."]
Washington (CNN) - Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said Tuesday he will add the DREAM Act, a controversial immigration measure, to a defense policy bill the Senate will take up next week.
The decision means the defense bill, which often passes with bipartisan support, will be home to two major, thorny political issues – the other being the repeal of the military's "don't ask, don't tell" policy.
Reid called the DREAM Act "really important" and said it should be passed because it provides a path to citizenship for young illegal immigrants who go to college or serve in the military. DREAM is an acronym for Development, Relief and Education of Alien Minors Act.
"I know we can't do comprehensive immigration reform," Reid said at a news conference. "But those Republicans we had in the last Congress have left us."
Many Hispanic voters are angry with Democratic leaders for not doing more to pass an immigration overhaul. The decision by Reid to add the DREAM Act now could help soothe that anger.
Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell called Reid's decision "needlessly controversial."
The Senate will need 60 votes to take up the bill next week, and Reid said Tuesday he doesn't know if he has enough votes.
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This old scumbag will do anything to try and get elected.
Playing politics with the military, not cool Harry.
This is one of the largest issues I have with Congress. If these leaders think their issue has merit, bring it up for a vote. No, not with something else but by itself. By "adding" other measures the initial legislation gets hurt.
Typical coward of a politician. Adds it to a bill that he can say the other side doesn't support. He needs to be retired
What a coward! If as he says: "Reid called the DREAM Act "really important" then why does he have to hide it in a defense bill? This is the type of lack of 'transparency' Obama campaigned on and promised to fix. I consider him a traitor for hiding a bill to make illegals legal in a bill to protect the national interest. This type of game-playing and deceit should be illegal. This is disgusting and I hope he doesn't get the votes. The Dems are already in such terrible shape, I can't imagine he'd get his votes. And I hope they show him the door in Nevada. If they don't, they deserve him and his crooked politics.
Another "bribe" by the masters of bribery, deceit, distortion, subversion, slander, character assassination, class warfare, pandering, and socialism, THE DUMBASSOCRATS and Harry Reid. Truly pathetic. He must see his term in the Senate going down the tubes, so he's pulling all the crap out from under the rocks to pull in some gullible, ignorant, voters. Take this piece of trash out in November.
"Quinnipiac University national poll. IMMIGRATION DEMANDS already killing Democrats ......"The poll, carried out during the first week in September, found that respondents had a strong anti-immigrant tilt, favoring, by 68% to 24%, stricter enforcement of immigration laws rather than integrating illegal immigrants into society and, by 48% to 45%, an end to the constitutionally guaranteed practice of granting U.S. citizenship to children born of illegal immigrants. " Harry Reid is playing with fire on this one. I also think he just signed his defeat November. Nevada is very strongly anti-ILLEGAL Immigration. Few are against LEGAL immigration..so the Left and the MEDIA blurr the line and slander legal immigrants..who take the medical exam, do the background check..pay the fees and wait years to come here..HARRY REID MAKES A MOCKER OF THEM......AND US.
Harry Reid is the ultimate chameleon.
This is absolutly infuriating, this is the same kind of policy that led to the downfall of Rome. You don't let non-citisens in your military, it corupts them and then they turn on you. Like every other time people have tried to natonilize soldiers.
Well, clearly the Repubilicans will do anything to stop what Americans. It's a shame that the people in this country, if the polls are right, are moving the Republicans once again. These people have very, very short memories. Not even two years we were on the brink of disaster, they handed President Obama a trillion dollar deficit, and unemployment was rising out of control, now things may be far from perfect right, but they are getting better.
If we take steps backwards again, I hope someone can help us all. But I have if they do get in, this country will get what it deserves for being absolutely stupid all over again.
Bye bye – now Reid is trying to fly a lead kite – it won't work, baby –
I'm in the process of writing my senator right now! Not Happy!!
This is an example of pure political trickery. Legislation should be mandate as single issue and not mixed like an omlette that ca not be swallowed.
If the American People don't get these democrat worms, Reid, Polosey and Ostupid out of office soon the only alternative for people and states who wish to be free will be to leave the union. Red is a real creep.
NEVER EVER VOTE FOR A DEMOCRAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Reid is a craven coward – the faster he is ousted in Nevada the better.
Great , Hairy is going to lose big now. What a freaking jerk.
Why exactly do ILLegals get citizenship if they go to college? So an illegal can now get in-state tuition and citizenship – all for breaking the law...GEE REID is so in touch with resolving the issues that piss people off.
Politicians, both democrats and republicans that use the defense bill to pass crap that has nothing to do with defense, thus using military men and women as pawns, are nothing more than total scum and should be taking out and shot!
How does this idiot get elected? Time to wake up Nevada and send this senile old man packing
This is very, very sad... What a great way to ruin America! I hate the new America that we're being forced to accept!
Only one problem: It should be called the DREIAM..... Development, Relief and Education of Illegal Alien Minors Act. Development. Give me a break. Do we have laws for some or for all?
Harry Reid pandering for votes... Hope he gets tossed out in November...
Trying to buy Hispanic votes with our money even more so now with their careers on the line. Fire them all in the fall.
I can't wait until he's FORMER Senator Reid ... or better yet, federal prisoner number xxxxxxxxx
This SOB Reid + Pelosi + obummer are out to destroy this country...pandering to mexicans for their votes by allowing *ILLEGAL INVADING LAWBREAKERS* to stay in the USA legally....These imbeciles should be impeached or better still – jailed...Too bad I can't really say what's on my mind...or I'd have Obummers *JACK-BOOTS* knocking on my door to arrest me!! So much for *FREEDOM OF SPEECH* in OUR country....All OUR rights are being stripped away from us....There will be a "REVOLT" by the people soon, if we don't STOP this nonsense!!!