In Which Senate Gerbils Kill Kyl Amendment, but Find Yet Another Way To Continue Something Already Being Done!
I will be dipped! The US Senate has declared English, of all things, to be the "national" Language of the United States. (Gosh, they noticed ... ?)

Ooops, but I guess I was over eager, since the two steppin' continues. Our fearless Senate gerbils voted for English to be the national language -- not the official language.

From the NYT's:

:"... A 63-to-34 vote to designate English as the national — not official — language of the United States and to require applicants to pass an English proficiency test seemed to be largely symbolic, since the immigration agency's standard handbook for naturalization already mandates that most applicants be able to read, write and speak basic English, with some exceptions for age and disability..."

Ah. So, another measure to pass something that's already being done. Way to go, guys.

In other news, Michelle Malkin's reporting that the Senate killed the Cornyn-Kyl amendment:

From Reuters: The Senate killed an amendment that would have denied a chance for permanent status and eventual citizenship to illegal immigrants who have been in the country less than five years and to any future immigrants who enter the country under the guest-worker program.

It's not clear if they also struck the part that denies citizenship to convicted felons, and those with more than three misdemeanor convictions, although there was a loophole that if the misdemeanor-ists didn't know they were breaking the law, it could be waived.

The BlogBat points out:

The Senate not only killed the Kyl-Cornyn amendment that kept those temporary workers Bush went on and on about temporary, it went on to kill the Ensign amendment, which was intended to punish illegals committing identity theft (remember, that crime the Justice Department has been telling us is so serious) with your Social Security number. But no matter, that’s your problem, not Senator Lügner’s.

But, keep chuckling, Senator Cornyn -- and hang in there.

Click to the CoalitionBlog for the latest. There are a variety of early morning posts at Musings of a Real Texas Cowgirl, bRight & Early, American and Proud of it and Double Barreled Opinions

** **This was a production of The Coalition Against Illegal Immigration (CAII). If you would like to participate, please go to the above link to learn more. Afterwards, email the coalition and let Brian know at which level you would like to participate.**  ¶ 7:30 AM