…”On the matter of immigration, here’s what Chambliss said about Arizona to CNN’s Candy Crowley:
CHAMBLISS: Well, it’s a very peculiar issue to Arizona that is not taking place in many other states. Border states have unique problems when it comes to immigration. We — we have an illegal alien problem here in Georgia, but it pales in comparison to what’s going on out there. And we have this issue called state’s rights. And this is one situation where the states of Arizona has decided to take matters into their own hands. And if that’s what the people of Arizona want to do, then certainly they have that right. Now, we do have a…
(CROSSTALK)
CHAMBLISS: We have a national problem. It is a national issue that needs to be addressed. And I hope we can do it in a reasonable and cautious manner, not let the emotions of people run away with this. Because it is, just simply stated, a very, very serious issue.
CROWLEY: But you’re on — you’re on to go at it now rather than put climate change up on the docket?
CHAMBLISS: Well, I’m not sure how you can really justify bringing either one of them up at this point. I mean, we’ve got a budget to deal with. We normally get that done before the 15th of April. That has not been done. We have not done one single appropriation bill in the Senate. We have not done a defense authorization bill.
We’ve got a lot of work left on our plate between now and the end of the summer. And we’re starting on financial regulatory reform, I assume, this week. That’s going to consume an extensive period of time. I’m not sure where you find the time to deal with these other major issues.
On the same topic, the state Capitol’s most fervent lobbyist on the immigration issue is D.A. King of Marietta. He’s predicting a low-number piece of legislation to be introduced early next year to introduce into Georgia many of the provisions in Arizona’s new law.
This year, ironically, King has been playing defense, battling the efforts of the Association County Commissioners of Georgia and the Georgia Municipal Association to limit the reach of an ‘06 state law intended to force local governments to use the E-verify system that determines citizenship of employees.
On his blog [1], King tells of an incident last week in which a weakening amendment was defeated in the House– only narrowly, on reconsideration. HERE. [2]
It was HERE [3]