Cross posted to The Commander Guy's Post
They say Politics is War by other means and for Sessions, if a War Widow and a Marine’s child are collateral damage, so be it.
Word of the internets has it that Senator Sessions (R-AL) is blocking a war widows’ bill from an up or down vote supposedly on immigration grounds. Titled the Marine Sergeant Michael H. Ferschke, Jr. Memorial Act, the bipartisan bill would solidify the immigration status of widows and the children of military personnel and in this case it would benefit a Marine killed in service to his country in Iraq.
The Ferschke’s met while Sgt Ferscke was stationed in Okinawa and separated when Sgt Ferschke was deployed to Iraq. Prior to Sgt Ferschke’s death, the couple planned to raise their son in Tennessee. However, due to a technicality in immigration law when Sgt. Michael Ferschke Jr., was killed in Iraq on August 10, 2008, his wife Hotaru Ferschke and his son Mikey were forced to return to Japan after her visa expired. Mrs Ferschke is attempting to honor her husband’s wishes with the support of her in-laws by returning to Tennessee to raise their son. Their return, thanks to a Republican sponsored bill, had looked optimistic - that is until Session's latest shenanigan blocked certain passage.
With the clock ticking and the 111th Congress running out, Sgt Ferschke’s parents will Travel to Mobile to plead with Senator Sessions to allow the bill to move forward for an up or down vote which would allow their grandson to return home.
The Senator has not yet agreed to meet with Sgt Ferschke’s parents:
Mrs Ferschke, meanwhile, said she knows she's taking a risk by showing up at Sessions' office in Alabama. But, she said, it will be worth the risk if it brings her daughter-in-law and grandson home to Tennessee.
'I'll do whatever it takes,' she said. 'I promised my son, my daughter-in-law and my Mikey that I'm going to do it if it kills me. And it basically is.'
This is truly is a new low for Jefferson Beauregard Sessions. He states some vague concern about immigration but cannot tie this concern to the purpose of the Bill which is to aid Widows and Children in time of need. If there is some other reason than petty politics for holding up the bill, Jeff needs to either fess up or allow it to move forward.
Now that I think about it, the only thing I can remember Jeff doing during the 111th Congress is taking a stand against Women, whether it be Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan or now Hotaru Ferschke.
What a piece of work.
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UPDATE: As requested via the Comments. More Back Story - As stated by Republican Lawmakers:
Under the Immigration and Nationality Act, if a U.S. citizen dies while serving honorably in an active duty status in the Armed Forces as a result of injury or disease incurred in or aggravated by combat, the citizen’s alien spouse can still seek permanent residence as an immediate relative of a U.S. citizen. However, the INA also provides that the term spouse does "not include a spouse . . . by reason of any marriage ceremony where the contracting parties thereto are not physically present in the presence of each other, unless the marriage shall have been consummated."
Hotaru Ferschke is the widow of the late Marine Corps Sergeant Michael Ferschke. Hotaru was born in Okinawa, Japan, and met Sgt. Ferschke there in 2007, where he was stationed at Camp Schwab. The couple dated for more than a year before he deployed to Iraq on April 15, 2008. The couple learned Hotaru was pregnant in March 2008, shortly before he deployed to Iraq. They had planned to marry before she became pregnant. Mr. Ferschke and Hotaru were married "by proxy" via telephone on July 10, 2008, while Sgt. Ferschke was in Iraq. They were never able to see each other after their marriage because Sgt. Ferschke was killed in combat on August 10, 2008.
The Ferschke’s marriage is not recognized for immigration purposes because it was never consummated. However, the State Department and the Marine Corps both agree that the relationship was bona fide.
The bill is intended to help Hotaru and other widows in this situation. It would provide an exception to the consummation requirement where the failure to consummate the marriage was caused by physical separation due to the deployment of one of the spouses in an active duty status overseas in the United States Armed Forces.
I agree this makes JBS III appear even more sleazy.
FURTHER UPDATE: Some folks have mentioned the use of Jefferson's full name in the piece and likened it to the use of Barrack Hussein Obama by members of a Certain Political Party. As I see nothing wrong with the name of the President of the United States, I saw nothing wrong with the use of Jefferson Beauregard Sessions, III in the post.
FURTHER UPDATE: Some folks have noticed the similarity between the use of JBS III's full name and former confederate figures of yesteryear. Should anyone have drawn an allusion between JBS III and, say, Wade Hampton III and his post civil war terrorist organization known as the Red Shirts, this is of course unintentional.
There is no evidence that JBS III was alive back then or connected in any way to these vile folks in any manner.
If anyone was offended by the use of JBS III's full name in connection with Dead Confederates of the Past, I am sorry that you may have been offended.
Thank You
TCG
FURTHER UPDATE:Reports on the Internets have JBS Three Reconsidering his opposition.
LAST UPDATE: The Bill Passes in the first week of December despite ongoing filibuster Threats. JBS III did not block it. Justice, such as it is, has prevailed.