(STATEHOUSE) Feb. 21, 2008 - House Republicans were disappointed Thursday because the majority Democrats unreasonably denied them the opportunity to add amendments to Senate Bill 345, which contained measures dealing with incorrect classification of employees. House Democrats, who hold a 51-49 majority, attempted to amend illegal-immigration legislation into the bill, but in a way that denied Republicans the same opportunity. "What we're seeing here today is the misuse of this process. When you're in the minority as House Republicans are, you only have so many tools that are at your disposal, and one of those is that we have the right to ask that rules be followed, rules that have been put in place and agreed to by all 100 members of the House," Rep. Bill Davis (R-Portland) said. "Tonight, we were denied the right to vote on one of the most important issues of the session. If we start down this path, the public loses, and I think they are losing here tonight." House Democrats denied Republicans the opportunity to offer amendments to toughen sanctions against employers who hire illegal immigrants and to deny state benefits to illegal immigrants. Republicans had already filed a measure with a get-tough attitude on illegal immigration, but Democrat Speaker B. Patrick Bauer refused to hand it down. |
