Sen. Saxby Chambliss (R-GA) said on the Senate floor Wednesday that he would vote against immigration reform legislation because his proposals dealing with migrant workers did not make it into the final bill.
According to the Atlanta Journal Constitution, Chambliss wanted about ten changes to the agriculture workers section, including more stringent requirements to prove that participants in the new program in fact work in agriculture. So-called Gang of Eight negotiators were hesitant to implement the changes, however, because farmworker unions had already signed onto the bill.
The senior senator from Georgia spoke for more than thirty minutes on the floor explaining his concerns.
“I’m not going to have a chance to vote on any of my amendments,” he said. “Not because they are poison pill amendments. They’re not. Not because many of my colleagues don’t agree with the changes I’m suggesting. Many do. It’s because the sanctity of a deal has been given precedence over sound policy.”
Watch his speech here:
