DALLAS —After running an unsuccessful full-court press to get the U.S. Senate to vote for immigration reform late last month, restaurant organizations found themselves back at square one in seeking federal legislation to address the problem of undocumented workers.
The National Restaurant Association had supported the Senate legislation, backed at the grassroots level by such organizations as the Texas Restaurant Association. In the days just before the Senate effectively killed the pending reform bill, the TRA urged attendees at its annual Southwest Foodservice Expo in Dallas to e-mail senators in support of the measure. —After running an unsuccessful full-court press to get the U.S. Senate to vote for immigration reform late last month, restaurant organizations found themselves back at square one in seeking federal legislation to address the problem of undocumented workers.
The Senate derailed the reform effort June 28 for a second time in two months by falling short of the 60 votes needed to advance the bipartisan, NRA-supported bill to a consideration of new amendments. Opponents chiefly objected to provisions that offered a path to legal status for undocumented workers, calling that an inappropriate amnesty program. —After running an unsuccessful full-court press to get the U.S. Senate to vote for immigration reform late last month, restaurant organizations found themselves back at square one in seeking federal legislation to address the problem of undocumented workers.
Proponents, however, sought what they saw as pragmatic compromises. —After running an unsuccessful full-court press to get the U.S. Senate to vote for immigration reform late last month, restaurant organizations found themselves back at square one in seeking federal legislation to address the problem of undocumented workers.
“Millions still live in the shadows of our society while contributing to it, employers still face uncertainty about their labor force, and the borders remain unsecure,” said John Gay, the NRA’s senior vice president of government affairs and public policy. “These issues are not going away and will have to be addressed. The House now has a tremendous opportunity to show bipartisan leadership on a matter of critical importance for the country.” —After running an unsuccessful full-court press to get the U.S. Senate to vote for immigration reform late last month, restaurant organizations found themselves back at square one in seeking federal legislation to address the problem of undocumented workers.
Restaurateurs had been hopeful the resurrected Senate legislation could come to a vote, calling it a good starting point for overhauling the nation’s immigration laws. An estimated 12 million undocumented workers live in the United States, and more than 1.4 million of them are believed to be working in the restaurant industry. —After running an unsuccessful full-court press to get the U.S. Senate to vote for immigration reform late last month, restaurant organizations found themselves back at square one in seeking federal legislation to address the problem of undocumented workers.
The motion to limit debate on S. 1639 and proceed to final passage failed by a 46-53 vote. —After running an unsuccessful full-court press to get the U.S. Senate to vote for immigration reform late last month, restaurant organizations found themselves back at square one in seeking federal legislation to address the problem of undocumented workers.
The NRA said it plans to continue leading the national debate on immigration reform, serving as co-chair of the Essential Worker Immigration Coalition, which includes more than 40 national businesses and trade associations seeking immigration reform. —After running an unsuccessful full-court press to get the U.S. Senate to vote for immigration reform late last month, restaurant organizations found themselves back at square one in seeking federal legislation to address the problem of undocumented workers.
During the Southwest Foodservice Expo in Texas, the state which shares the longest section of the 1,951-mile border with Mexico, Chris Pappas, chief executive of Houston-based Pappas Restaurants Inc. and a director of the NRA, said, “At the national level, we are considered one of the key players with what’s happening with immigration.” —After running an unsuccessful full-court press to get the U.S. Senate to vote for immigration reform late last month, restaurant organizations found themselves back at square one in seeking federal legislation to address the problem of undocumented workers.
The TRA set up computers for expo attendees to e-mail their senators in support of the immigration legislation. Both Texas senators voted against limited debate and moving the bill forward, however. —After running an unsuccessful full-court press to get the U.S. Senate to vote for immigration reform late last month, restaurant organizations found themselves back at square one in seeking federal legislation to address the problem of undocumented workers.
President Bush, the former Texas governor, had invested heavily in lobbying senators to move the bill forward. “A lot of us worked hard to see if we couldn’t find common ground,” Bush said after the vote, “and it didn’t work.” —After running an unsuccessful full-court press to get the U.S. Senate to vote for immigration reform late last month, restaurant organizations found themselves back at square one in seeking federal legislation to address the problem of undocumented workers.
NRA chairman Dick Rivera met at the White House in early June with Bush, Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutierrez and Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff. —After running an unsuccessful full-court press to get the U.S. Senate to vote for immigration reform late last month, restaurant organizations found themselves back at square one in seeking federal legislation to address the problem of undocumented workers.
“The stakes are high for restaurants,” Rivera said. “With a job growth rate outstripping the growth in the U.S. labor force and with an unknown but no doubt significant number of undocumented immigrants in our ranks, the restaurant industry needs legislation to stabilize our current workforce and meet future needs.” —After running an unsuccessful full-court press to get the U.S. Senate to vote for immigration reform late last month, restaurant organizations found themselves back at square one in seeking federal legislation to address the problem of undocumented workers.
Gay said that with Congress’ failure to act, businesses would face increased enforcement activity at the federal, state and local levels. More than 1,000 immigration bills have been introduced in states and cities this year, twice as many as in 2006, he said. Hundreds target employers with proposals for steeper penalties, more paperwork requirements and greater scrutiny for hiring violations, the NRA said. —After running an unsuccessful full-court press to get the U.S. Senate to vote for immigration reform late last month, restaurant organizations found themselves back at square one in seeking federal legislation to address the problem of undocumented workers.
While immigration reform was a major topic at the Southwest Foodservice Expo, attendees also relished several recent legislative victories at the state level. —After running an unsuccessful full-court press to get the U.S. Senate to vote for immigration reform late last month, restaurant organizations found themselves back at square one in seeking federal legislation to address the problem of undocumented workers.
John Zendt, president of the Texas Restaurant Association and owner of Moody Gardens in Galveston, cited a statewide mandate that schools begin their years no earlier than the fourth Monday of August, this year Aug. 27, which extends summer vacations. —After running an unsuccessful full-court press to get the U.S. Senate to vote for immigration reform late last month, restaurant organizations found themselves back at square one in seeking federal legislation to address the problem of undocumented workers.
“We get an additional two weeks of people traveling across the state, and that will help all our businesses,” Zendt said. —After running an unsuccessful full-court press to get the U.S. Senate to vote for immigration reform late last month, restaurant organizations found themselves back at square one in seeking federal legislation to address the problem of undocumented workers.
Richie Jackson, executive vice president and chief executive of the Texas Restaurant Association, said the most recent 140-day session of the state’s Legislature, which convenes only every other year, was light on restaurant legislation. Among the laws passed were one that prevents municipalities from offering exclusive franchises to grease removal companies and another that provides a statewide standard for safety training on food handling. —After running an unsuccessful full-court press to get the U.S. Senate to vote for immigration reform late last month, restaurant organizations found themselves back at square one in seeking federal legislation to address the problem of undocumented workers.
Jackson also said advertising for Texas tourism has increased to $50 million a year, an increase of $18 million from earlier years. —After running an unsuccessful full-court press to get the U.S. Senate to vote for immigration reform late last month, restaurant organizations found themselves back at square one in seeking federal legislation to address the problem of undocumented workers.
