Sen. Salazar Talks Iraq, Immigration Part 2

“I for one am tired of Democrats pointing at Republicans and Republicans pointing at Democrats,” said Colorado Sen. Ken Salazar in a conference call held earlier today, referring to the ongoing debate in Congress over what to do in Iraq.

Yesterday, Sen. Salazar introduced a resolution to implement recommendations from the Iraq Study Group, a appointed commission that has recommended a timed withdrawal from the country.

Salazar went over the bill, along with the fiery immigration debate taking place in the Senate.The Iraq resolution, officially called the Iraq Study Group Recommendations Implementation Act of 2007, was first in line for discussion. 

According to Salazar, the bill would first deal with constructing diplomatic support in Iraq and then work to follow through with recommendations regarding the Iraqi government.

“The second aspect of the report which is essential is that we need to keep the Iraqi government accountable for achieving the milestones that are set forth in the report, including all of the aspects of legislation that must be adopted by the Iraqi government to achieve national reconciliation,” said Salazar, mentioning that following the recommendations would hopefully bring U.S. troops home by Spring of 2008.

On the comprehensive immigration reform proposals taking place in the Senate, Salazar noted that the “cornerstones” for the legislation remain the same, despite other Congressional objections to guest worker programs. He also said he felt an “optimistic attitude” on the Senate floor regarding reform, and hoped the debate would be over by the end of the week.

When a reporter asked Salazar about Congressman Tom Tancredo’s attempt to block the reform bill (which he has taken to conservative Web site DrudgeReport.com) and his ridicule of other Republicans lawmakers, the Senator wasn’t amused.

“But for people like the Congressman from Colorado to make those threats against my Republican colleagues in the Senate who have been working very hard, I think is inappropriate,” said Salazar.

Meanwhile, news comes from the Senate that the immigration reform bill is still alive and kicking despite an attempt to derail the measure. The debate continues.

Erin Rosa was born in Spain and raised in Colorado Springs. She is a freelance writer currently living in Denver. Rosa's work has been featured in a variety of news outlets including the Huffington Post, Democracy Now!, and the Rocky Mountain Chronicle, an alternative-weekly in Northern Colorado where she worked as a columnist covering the state legislature. Rosa has received awards from the Society of Professional Journalists for her reporting on lobbying and woman's health issues. She was also tapped with a rare honorable mention award by the Newspaper Guild-CWA's David S. Barr Award in 2008--only the second such honor conferred in its nine-year history--for her investigative series covering the federal government's Supermax prison in the state. Rosa covers the labor community, corrections, immigration and government transparency matters. She can be reached at erosa@www.coloradoindependent.com.