14 GOP Senators Vote for Immigration Bill

As the Senate passed its version of an immigration reform bill Thursday, more than half of Republican lawmakers voting against it, reports the Hill.

Only 14 GOP senators joined their 56 Democratic counterparts in giving final approval to the bill.

Among those casting a “nay” vote were Sens. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, and Jeff Sessions, R-Ala.

Grassley felt the legislation did not put enough emphasis on an immediate upgrade to border security.

“It continues false promises of a secured border,” Grassley said. “It ought to be enforcement now and legalization later.”

Sessions said he could not cast a vote in favor of a bill that he claims would have a disastrous effect on the nation’s economy.

“How can we vote for a bill that our own [Congressional Budget Office] says will reduce average wages in America for 12 years, increase unemployment for seven years and reduce per capita [gross national product] growth over 25 years, all this at a time of high unemployment, falling wages and surging welfare, disability, and dependency,” Sessions said.

Other senators to come down against the legislation were Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., and Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah.

Of the 14 Republican senators involved in the bill’s passing, four of them – Sens. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., Jeff Flake, R-Ariz., and John McCain, R-Ariz., are members of the bi-partisan Gang of Eight who crafted the bill and were instrumental in bringing it to the floor.

Sens. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, Kelly Ayotte, R-N.H., and Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., were also among those GOP members who cast a “yea” vote.