Hagel (R Ne) rips Congress' inaction on border

[Omaha Steve]

FULL stroy reg req: http://www.omaha.com/index.php?u_pg=1638&u_sid=2236974

Published Wednesday
September 6, 2006

Hagel rips Congress' inaction on border

BY JAKE THOMPSON

WORLD-HERALD BUREAU

WASHINGTON - With fellow Republicans all but throwing in the towel on passing immigration law changes this year, Sen. Chuck Hagel said Tuesday that his party could pay a high price in November's elections for doing nothing.

"This country needs - and polls show it, and I heard it in Nebraska - comprehensive immigration reform," said Hagel, a key author of a Senate-passed immigration bill.

"To fail at this is going to be a very significant indictment for the Republican Party, because it's going to say we essentially cannot deal with the most important issues in this country even though we control all the levers of government."


Sen. Chuck Hagel


The Nebraska Republican was responding to a report in the New York Times that quoted House and Senate Republicans as saying prospects appear dim for Congress to approve any immigration changes this fall.