The US Senate on Tuesday resurrected a divisive immigration bill that would offer legal status to 12 million illegal immigrants, even though influential Republicans in the House of Representatives vowed to kill the measure.
US President George W. Bush has lauded the landmark immigration measure as a "historic opportunity," while critics who deride the move as an "amnesty" warned it would be "dead on arrival" in the House even if it passed the Senate.
Senators voted 64 to 35 to reopen turbulent debate on the measure, the product of a fragile cross-party "grand bargain" which collapsed in the chamber earlier this month under fierce assault from conservative opponents.
The margin was just four votes more than was needed under Senate rules for debate to proceed on the bill -- one of Bush's last hopes for a signature second-term domestic achievement.
The next question was whether that delicate majority would hold for another key test vote expected today, as opponents of the bill raise amendments designed to kill it off.
Republican opponents of the bill, arguing their time to offer amendments had been cut short, resorted to rarely used parliamentary tactics to delay the measure, forcing top Democrat Harry Reid to delay debate on 26 amendments until yesterday.
The bill is a sweeping immigration overhaul that grants an eventual path to legal status to some 12 million illegal immigrants and initiates a low-wage "guest worker" program.
It would replace the current family-dominated immigration system with a merit-based points formula and attempt to cut a huge backlog for permanent resident "green card" applicants.
The White House said it was pleased the motion had passed, but spokesman Tony Snow said "we know there's a long debate ahead."
Evidence of that uphill battle came late on Tuesday as the House Republican conference, an influential group of lawmakers, voted by 114 votes to 23 to oppose the bill if it ever reaches the House.
Democratic House leaders have warned Bush he will need about 70 Republican votes to ensure passage of the bill -- to make up for Democrats from conservative districts who may oppose it.
US Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff earlier said the administration was "confident of Senate passage."
Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutierrez added: "The confidence comes also from the knowledge that in the end, logic, common sense and wisdom will prevail."
Bill opponents have pledged to use every chance they have to thwart the measure.
"The momentum against this bill is growing all across the country," Republican Senator Jim DeMint said.
Bush earlier pressed Republican senators to back the bill, which many observers believe will die in the maelstrom whipped up by the elections next year if it is not passed this year.
"I view this as a historic opportunity to act, for Congress to replace a system that is not working with one that we believe will work a lot better," Bush said ahead of a briefing on immigration issues.
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