After a comprehensive immigration bill passed the Senate in June, President Obama says he's "absolutely confident" it can pass the House if put to a vote.
But critics question how many lawmakers have actually read the 1,200-page bill, which they say is packed with hidden pork-barrel spending projects ranging from $1.5 billion for a "Youth Jobs Program" to millions for immigrant support groups that some say have a political agenda.
"Earmarks, special pork deals, and cash for groups allied with the Obama administration should be eliminated from any final bill," Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., said in a statement to FoxNews.com.
The largest program FoxNews.com found with tenuous ties to immigration is on page 1,181 of the Senate bill, which allocates $1.5 billion for a "Youth Jobs Fund" to give states money to "provide ... employment opportunities" for teens and young adults.
The section was introduced by Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., who first proposed the idea in a stand-alone bill in June. He said then that, "we have got to do everything we can to make sure that young Americans have the jobs they need to pay for a college education and to move up the economic ladder."
His office did not respond to a request for comment about why the program is relevant to immigration.
Page 219 of the Senate version of the bill also allocates $50 million plus "such sums as may be necessary" to non-profit "immigrant-serving organizations." The bill says the organizations are to use the money to help immigrants here illegally apply for legal status and citizenship, and to teach them civics and English.
Via: Fox News Politics
Continue Reading....
No comments:
Post a Comment