109th Congress Progress Is Minimal for Hispanics
Alex Meneses Miyashita     [Photo]

Several bills that would have direct impact on Hispanics were introduced in the first session of the 109th Congress, which is now in recess, but only three of the measures have become law. This congressional session also saw the debut of two Latino senators.

The most recent bill passed was the Central America Free Trade Agreement.

Other legislative measures that passed in the first six months of the session include the so-called REAL ID Act, and a bill lifting the 66,000 annual H2B visa cap for seasonal foreign workers. Both of these measures were attached as amendments to a budget bill approved in May.

The REAL ID Act will create uniform standards for state driver's licenses by 2008 that will require proof of legal status, among other things.

Legislation still under consideration includes an immigration reform bill introduced in May by Sens. John McCain (R-Ariz.) and Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.). It proposes legalizing undocumented immigrants and allowing them to apply for permanent residency.

Other immigration legislation, introduced by Sens. John Cornyn (R-Texas) and Jon Kyl (R-Ariz.) in July, calls for the exit of all undocumented immigrants from the country before they can become eligible to gain temporary legal status.

Andy Hernández, political scientist at St. Mary's University in San Antonio, told Hispanic Link that in this Congress, "There have been moments, but no movement" on some issues of interest to the Latino community.

"The force of policy has to go to increasing the amount of money Latinos make," he said, adding that raising the minimum wage — currently at $5.15 per hour — and putting more resources into education and reforming the immigration system are priorities that Congress should take up.

Raúl González, legislative director for the National Council of La Raza, told Hispanic Link that bills such as AgJOBS — which would legalize undocumented farmworkers — and a measure which has not been reintroduced that would grant undocumented students in-state tuition status, known as the DREAM Act, have seen no movement "because congressional leadership has not made these bills a priority."

This year, Ken Salazar (D-Colo.) and Mel Martínez (R-Fla.) became the first Latinos in more than 30 years to occupy a seat in the U.S. Senate.

Salazar, former Colorado Attorney General, said in a report after his first 100 days in office that his legislative priorities continue to be national security, education, economic development, civil rights, rural issues, agriculture, health care and energy.

Salazar, who is Mexican American, is co-sponsor of the McCain/Kennedy immigration reform bill.

Martínez said as he was sworn in as the first ever Cuban-American senator that he'd pursue the principles of an "ownership society," with free markets, less taxes and a strong military.

Martínez is co-sponsor of the Housing America's Workforce Act, which would provide assistance for low-income workers. He served as Housing and Urban Development Secretary under President Bush before his election to the Senate in November.

Larry González, Washington director of the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials, told Hispanic Link that both new senators have "gone very slowly in their first year, which is a good way to be. I don't think that as a freshman senator your initial reaction is to go out there and rock the boat and make people angry."

Some issues important to the Latino community, such as the reauthorization of the Voting Rights Act, which is up for renewal next year, have yet to be addressed by the senators, González said.

Congress will return from its recess on Sept. 6 and is tentatively scheduled to adjourn its first session by the end of that month.

(Alex Meneses Miyashita is a reporter at Hispanic Link News Service in Washington, D.C.)

© 2005, Hispanic Link News Service
08/21/05
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