Daily Reports on Special Session

From July 6 to July 10 the General Assembly met in a special session called by the governor, primarily to deal with the illegal alien issue. Here are the reports I sent out during that extraordinary time:

July 3- The special session begins this Thursday. I hope we can get something substantive accomplished, but judging by the Democrat's foot dragging over the past two years, I am not expecting much.

My highest priority is to try to get something on the ballot similar to the Defend Colorado Now citizen's initiative which the Colorado Supreme Court stripped away from the people. Next in priority for me is a bill to require proof of citizenship to vote.

I will keep you posted on any significant developments with the special session.


July 8- On this rainy Saturday afternoon, when many people are enjoying a quiet afternoon at home, the special legislative session continues on.

I, therefore, have just come from a packed senate hearing room, where the governor made an extraordinary appearance before the Senate Business Affairs Committee. At this meeting he expressed strong concerns with HB 1023, the "flagship" Democrat bill from Speaker Romanoff and Senate President Fitz-Gerald.

It was one of the more dramatic moments of my legislative experience. It also underscored the seriousness of this issue.

For three days we have been watching the Democrat majority rule the legislature with an iron fist. They are intent on side-stepping this whole issue. I had to watch as every bill of substance was killed on a party-line vote, yesterday in a "Friday night massacre" in the House Sate Affairs Committee (the same thing happened in the Senate State Affairs Committee). This morning, after extensive floor debate, the House passed, on strict party-lines, HB 1023. It is ostensibly a restriction of public benefits to illegal aliens. In reality it will have very little effect. The bills that would have made a significant difference were left dead on the committee floors yesterday.

Where do we go from here? That is hard to say. At this point all of my initial optimism for progress on this issue has dissolved because of the impasse we now have. The Republicans are ready and willing to make something happen. The Democrats are doing all they can to make sure nothing happens that will change anything, with a particular emphasis on keeping everything significant off the general election ballot.

I will try to keep you posted as this develops further.


Monday, July 10, 2006, 4:42 PM

I give a specific time for this report, as things could change quickly.

So far we have seen no significant progress with the special session. A few smaller bills have been passed, but nothing much will change from those bills on their own. About the only other positive side I see is that, so far, every Republican in both houses and the governor have stood together, insisting on passing bills of substance and resisting do-nothing measures that only paper over the issue.

Paramount to all of this is re-instating the essence of initiative 55, so the people can have their say with this important issue and the State Supreme Court's unjustified ruling is effectively overturned.

For two days we have been sitting around waiting for the Senate to send back to us the Democrat's flagship bill, HB 1023. I am not sure where we will be when they get finished, but it isn't over till it's over...

July 10, 11:15 PM

The votes are in. The session has run its course.

A few small steps have been made, but not enough to make any substantial difference.

It is encouraging to see such attention being given to the problem of runaway costs for unwarranted claims on state government programs and services, as well as the rule of law being flaunted by so many.

Unfortunately the bills that would have really made a difference were all killed in the "Friday Night Massacre."

This legislature has done all it is capable of. I trust we will see better prospects from the next General Assembly.





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Immigration is Good for Colorado.

Through many generations, immigrants have brought positive values and
new sources of strength and wealth to our society. A large part of
what this great state of Colorado is today comes from the immigrants
of yesterday. Additionally, much of our future will be determined by
today's immigrants.

I have found that citizens across the state understand this valuable
contribution of immigration. The people of Colorado also know the
difference between legal immigration and illegal aliens and this is
where the real debate and discussion is.

For too many years we have seen a steady increase in those who are
defying the immigration laws of our country, and in many ways it has
reached epidemic proportions. The majority of Coloradans want this to
stop. We must find workable solutions that will put us back on the
healthy track of legal, manageable immigration.

Strict security at the border is a good step, but that alone will
never change the situation.

Secure borders depend in a large part on internal government policies
that discourage those here illegally. In this situation our country is
compassionate to a fault. Our social safety net has become a magnet to
far too many.

The social safety net cannot continue to sustain the stress of 10-15
million illegal aliens. The educational system has similar,
unreasonable and unsustainable pressures from this circumstance.

State and national social policy must not continue to encourage
illegal aliens to stay in this country.

The other big area that must be changed is in the private sector. It
is not acceptable to simply accommodate the current reality of illegal
aliens being employed in vast numbers.

If the border is tightened up, internal social policies are not
allowed to encourage illegal aliens to stay, and the private sector
does not give them a job, the excessive numbers of illegal aliens will
start to diminish. They will not all leave, but the growth will stop,
and this seemingly unsolvable problem will begin to find solutions.


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