nj senators introduce 9/11 immigration bill

from courier post: Illegal immigrants who lost loved ones on 9/11 could become legal residents under legislation Sen. Frank Lautenberg introduced Tuesday.

Also championed by Sen. Robert Menendez, the bill would allow survivors of victims identified by the September 11 Victims Compensation Fund to receive permanent residency - or “green” - cards. An identical proposal didn’t pass the previous Congress.

Co-sponsors are Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, and four other Democratic senators: Hillary Clinton of New York, Christopher Dodd of Connecticut, Edward Kennedy of Massachusetts, and Russ Feingold of Wisconsin.

Independent Sen. Joseph Lieberman of Connecticut has also signed on. So have Republicans Sam Brownback of Kansas and Norm Coleman of Minnesota.

In the House, Reps. Carolyn Maloney, D-N.Y., and Peter King, R-N.Y., have sponsored similar legislation.

To read the bill, go to http://thomas.loc.gov/ and search for S. 615, the September 11 Family Humanitarian Relief and Patriotism Act.