Boxer Email: Yes To Cloture?

Thanks to Iceman for fowarding this to me.

This sounds like she's voting in favor of cloture.

Dear Friend:

Thank you for contacting me to express your views on immigration reform. I appreciate hearing from you.

As you may know, the Senate recently debated the Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act of 2007.

In its initial form, this bill was unworkable and unfair. I was particularly troubled by its proposal to create a new guestworker program. I have always had problems with guestworker programs because I believe they lead to increased illegal immigration, a downward pressure on American wages, and a loss of workplace protections.

That is why on June 7, 2007, I voted to prevent the bill from proceeding to a final vote. A revised version of the bill has since been introduced in the Senate as S.1639. Be assured that I am working to improve this bill, and I will continue to fight for measures that protect American workers and reduce illegal immigration.

Again, thank you for writing to me. Please feel free to contact me again about this or any other issue of concern to you.

Barbara Boxer
United States Senator

It's not definite, but notice how sharply she distinguishes the previous version of the bill (which she voted against closing debate on) and the current version (which she suggests is somehow different, which it isn't). She also says she's working to improve the bill, rather than to simply stop it.

I guess this can be characterized as a simple cover-your-ass leave-all-options-open kind of form letter, but it does seem to lean more towards cloture than the other way.

posted by Ace at 06:59 PM

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