01/12/07 Pushing AgJobs; Myers is out

Idaho's Larry Craig and California's Diane Feinstein are on opposite ends of the political pole but they've teamed up to introduce in the Senate an Ag Jobs bill. Their legislation would restructure and reform the current H-2A temporary agricultural worker program. It would also allow undocumented workers to remain in the US if they meet a set of conditions. The bill has supporters like Washington Growers League spokesman Mike Gempler who says Congress shouldn't stop at just an AgJobs bill. GEMPLER "It's document enforcement. It's a guest worker program, it's immigration law change, all those in one big comprehensive package. You do enforcement only and you'll just hurt our economy and treat people unfairly. We need the whole package at once." Ag Jobs legislation did get through the Senate last year but the House failed to take it up before the 109th Congress adjourned. Bill Myers didn't make it either. The Boise attorney nominated three years ago by President Bush failed to get Senate approval and now he's withdrawn his name for consideration as a judge on the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. Twice his nomination cleared the Judiciary committee and did have a majority of the Senate votes. But it was apparent that Myers wouldn't win confirmation in the new Senate after failing to overcome three years of judicial filibuster in the GOP controlled Congress. Today's Idaho Ag News Bill Scott