Senators Chuck Schumer, D-NY, and Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, butt heads on whether or not the Boston bombings should put the brakes on immigration reform during the second Judiciary Committee hearing on Monday.
SCHUMER: I would say to my colleagues, and I understand their views are heartfelt. The chairman has a very open process, so if you have ways to improve the bill offer an amendment when we start mark up in May and let's vote on it. I say that to in particularly to those who were pointing to what happen in the terrible tragedy in Boston as a ... I would say an excuse for not doing a bill or delaying it many months or years."
"I never said that," Grassley interjects.
"I didn't say did ...," Schumer refutes.
"I never said that," Grassley persists.
"I didn't say you did, sir," Schumer says.
"I didn't say anything about ...," says Grassley.
"I didn't mean you, Mr. Grassley," Schumer says.
[Other Senator chimes in over the lashing out]
Chairman Patrick Leahy, D-Vt, gavels saying their will be an opportunity for an open discussion among committee members.
To hear a clip of the disagreement here.
The agenda of Monday's Senate Judiciary Committee hearing was on Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and the Immigration Modernization Act, which aims to provide a roadmap for undocumented immigrants and securing the nations borders.
RIT professor Ron Hira testified Monday morning. He said many employers are misusing the H1 B program - a non-immigrant visa allowing U.S. employers to temporarily employ foreign workers in specialty occupations.
"H1 B workers can be paid 20% to 25% less than an American worker."
Hira said there's no requirement for U.S. employers to look for workers within the states before hiring a foreign worker.
"Employers can even displace American workers," Hira adds. "The bill falls short includes safe guards that move in a positive direction but the bill falls far short."
Hira says Congress has set the wage floor for these workers too low.
Under the proposed Immigration Modernization bill, wages would be set a bit higher than they currently. The provision would also involve the Department of Labor to detail a posting on an Internet site.
Meanwhile, the national League of Women Voters sent a letter to Senate members urging them to continue designing a pathway to citizenship for immigrants.
"We don't want to be pushed off course by what happened in Boston," says Georgia DeGregorio, the head of the local LWV chapter. this too of an important issue for that to happen. so that we are encouraging our senators to keep on working on the issue and come up with a viable piece of legislation."
The local League of Women Voters and the Greater Rochester Coalition for Immigration Justice held a community forum at the Brighton Town Hall Monday night: "Untold Truths: Immigration & You." DeGregorio says food production, service and building industries in our area rely on migrant and immigrant workers. She says it's about the impact of immigration reform on Western, New York.
"We want a fair and equitable policy to come out of this effort in Washington [D.C.]," DeGregorio says.
The Senate Committee had a minute of silence to honor those who were injured and killed during the Boston Marathon bombings as well as those hurt the Texas fertilizer explosion.