Immigration Bill Stalls in Senate

A Senate compromise on a major overhaul of the nation's immigration laws hit a roadblock today, as the majority Republicans insisted on being allowed to amend the measure and balked at cutting off debate on it.

Most Senate Democrats had resisted efforts to amend the compromise bill, fearing that GOP opponents of provisions to legalize the status of millions of illegal immigrants would push through fundamental changes.

The Senate voted 60 to 38 this morning against invoking cloture on the compromise measure, effectively stalling it instead of sending it to the floor as is for a vote. Supporters of the bill fell far short of the 60 votes needed to cut off debate and move it to the floor. Republicans stuck together in defeating the cloture motion and were joined by six Democrats.

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