04/05/06 Crapo, Craig differ on immigration bill

99 percent of the time Mike Crapo and Larry Craig vote the same way in the US Senate. CRAPO "This is the one percent of the time where we have a bit of a difference and the only difference really between us on this issue is the question of amnesty." Crapo doesn't agree with Senator Craig who authored the Ag Jobs legislation which is now a part of an immigration reform bill that's being debated in the Senate. CRAPO "Amnesty is unfair to those who stayed behind and followed the law. Secondly as we have already learned from previous actions in which amnesty was granted it simply incentivizes further illegal entry into the country." Both senators do agree that there needs to be a guest worker program that deals with the estimated eight million illegal immigrants who are employed by American labor and industry. Both Senators also agree that there can be no immigration reform legislation without improved security. CRAIG "It is first and foremost all about border security, a tremendous investment in our southern border at this moment and our northern border." Right now the Senate is talking about eleven billion dollars to train border agents, install new surveillance equipment and tighten entry into the US. Crapo says it's probably a 50/50 bet that deeply divided Senate will pass reform legislation in this session. Today's Idaho Ag News Bill Scott