Bush urges Hispanics to speak up

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President Bush yesterday told Hispanics to step into the middle of the immigration debate and make sure senators who have been bombarded with calls from opponents also hear from those who support the bill.

"There's a lot of emotion on this issue, and it makes sense to have people from around the country come and sit down with members of Congress to talk rationally about the issue," he told those attending the Hispanic Prayer Breakfast in Washington yesterday.

He was speaking a day after the bill, which collapsed last week, was revived by the top Democrat and Republican in the Senate.

Majority Leader Harry Reid, Nevada Democrat, agreed to put the bill back on the Senate's schedule next week, and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, Kentucky Republican, agreed to limit the number of amendments Republicans would offer.

But roadblocks are already popping up.

Sen. Jim DeMint, South Carolina Republican, said he will block any attempt to send the bill to an eventual House-Senate conference, complicating the usual path a bill takes to reach the president's desk.

"Ted Kennedy has sold us another bill of goods and I don't trust him to make even more changes to it behind closed doors in a conference with the House," Mr. DeMint said, referring to the Massachusetts Democrat who has spearheaded the bill along with Sen. Jon Kyl, Arizona Republican.

Senate aides said Mr. DeMint's threat is many steps away, and they will address it when they come to it. But Democrats said it does underscore some Republicans' repeated attempts to block the bill.

"Republicans like Senator DeMint have a very simple decision to make: Are they going to work with Democrats to strengthen border security and pass comprehensive immigration reform, or are they going to continue to obstruct and delay?" said Jim Manley, a spokesman for Mr. Reid.

Yesterday, Mr. Reid said he will keep the Senate in session as long as needed to ensure the immigration bill and the energy bill, which is already on the Senate floor, are finished. He said he will keep senators here during their scheduled July Fourth vacation if need be.