OT - this is just sick - Page 1

Senate Judiciary Committee Reviews Uniting American Families Act
On Wednesday, June 3, the Senate Judiciary Committee heard testimony on the Uniting American Families Act (UAFA) (S. 424), a bill that would extend so-called "permanent partner" visas to persons involved in same-sex relationships. (New York Times, June 3, 2009; Politico, June 3, 2009). The bill's supporters used the hearing to emphasize what they perceive to be the unfairness of current visa rules, while critics pointed to what they view as significant loopholes that will guarantee widespread fraud and higher immigration enforcement costs. (Senate Judiciary Committee Hearing, June 3, 2009).

In addition to brief statements by Representatives Jerrold Nadler (D-NY) and Jackie Speier (D-CA), both of whom spoke in support of the UAFA, Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-VT) presided over six witnesses who took various positions on the bill's purpose and predicted impact. (Id.). In addition to two witnesses who provided personal accounts about how their inability to obtain permanent partnership visas has impacted their same-sex relationships (See Testimony of Shirley Tan, June 3, 2009 and Testimony of Gordon Stewart, June 3, 2009), Julian Bond, Chairman of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People's National Board of Directors, took the position that current immigration law should be updated to, among other things, extend visas to individuals involved in "non-traditional" family units. (Testimony of Julian Bond, June 3, 2009). Christopher Nugent of the American Bar Association also testified in support of the bill, stating that the UAFA would not alter the federal Defense of Marriage Act or redefine marriage in any way, but would merely permit immigration officials to extend visas to eligible same-sex partners. Nugent echoed the sentiments of Leahy and other bill supporters by noting that some industrialized countries that do not themselves recognize same-sex marriage, such as Australia and Israel, allow same-sex partners to obtain visas, and that the United States should at least follow this model. (Testimony of Christopher Nugent, June 3, 2009).

Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Jeff Sessions (R-AL) addressed much of the pro-UAFA testimony by noting that the UAFA's creation of a visa for same-sex partners would be a de facto federal recognition of same-sex relationships that might impact other areas of federal law. Sessions also stressed that the UAFA would make it significantly easier to engage in visa fraud, since the permanent partnerships that would be recognized under the bill would not be as traceable as marriages, which require marriage certificates and other relevant documentation. (Senate Judiciary Committee Hearing, June 3, 2009). Roy Beck of NumbersUSA and Jessica Vaughan of the Center for Immigration Studies (CIS) further criticized the bill for expanding immigration (without offsetting from other visa categories) and failing to account for the impact on other areas of immigration law. (See Testimony of Roy Beck, June 3, 2009 and Testimony of Jessica Vaughan, June 3, 2009). Vaughan, for example, testified that the UAFA would undoubtedly lead to higher levels of fraud and added that federal immigration officials already encounter significant immigration-related marriage fraud. The UAFA, she went on to say, would create new access to visas for thousands of individuals worldwide without requiring any of the safeguards that might prevent dramatic increases in visa fraud, and might even serve as further incentive for some to attempt fraud. (Id.).

Go permanent partner in the other permanent partner's country, not this one.  Good luck getting that visa. 

who needs a visa - they just walk across

funding for the fence has been stopped.......

Come on over get on the Obama give aways ,  handouts,  jobs for everyone (except us citzens)we will have our socialized medicine by then for you,  maybe do some sex changes for you all dont worry we will pork the rich to pay for it all the ones that have not  moved to another country or t havent went out of business...the more the merrier under "Dear leader" he is such a good man understands and wants a big open society filled to the brim with everyone under his guidance maybe they can get some Obama speech CD's at the border with instructions to vote democratic.  sounds like a party to me

The morality of the country is going down the tubes, the more that deviant sexual behaviors such as same sex relationships are considered normal and acceptable.  It is only natural, in this new, immoral world, that the gov't will give them all the same "recognition" they give to those of us who are normal.  Of course, for those of us who are normal, we'll be losing our homes, our jobs, and most of our income to pay for the "persecution" these abnormals have had to suffer, but who's going to notice?  We'll be so busy working ourselves to death that we won't care.

If same sex is okay, why is bestiality and incest illegal?  Aren't those also "alternative lifestyles", along with being a druggie, or a thief?

I don't mean to sound sick, but good grief!   I mean, a person's relatives are humans, and animals should have the same rights as humans, according to PETA, so what's the difference?

Crys

I edited this to include the PETA reference so that readers wouldn't get the impression that I agree with the AR movement.

Dogs and Cats, in the streets, its gonna be bad !!
Biblical !!
I wanna new drug.

I need to start a religious education thread, LOL!   Lets start with Sol Invictus and move on to Mithra.......