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The Senate will soon take up a comprehensive immigration overhaul bill, and sponsors hope there will be enough votes to pass it. If that happens, it won’t be the first time — a similar measure got through the Senate in 2006. The comprehensive measure was never taken up by the House, however.
In May 2006, the Senate passed a comprehensive immigration bill with support from lawmakers of both parties. The bill, which would have created a path to permanent residency for illegal immigrants, was dismissed by House Republicans as an amnesty measure. The House voted on several narrow immigration enforcement bills, but declined to go to conference with Senate on the broad measure.