He did not get the reforms, and was forced to sign the amnesty bill anyway to avoid layoffs in a number of towns.

He said the amnesty bill would be submitted to Parliament Jan. 19 and would probably take effect by the end of the month.

Smith, a Republican, had been a fierce opponent of illegal immigration and had voted against an amnesty bill.

Conservatives tend to dismiss the plan as an amnesty bill.

An amnesty bill sent to Congress late last month is supposed to encourage Colombia's combatants to turn in their weapons.

An amnesty bill will free 35,000 of Turkey's 70,000 inmates.

The last amnesty bill was passed 15 years ago and was the right thing to do, both economically and morally.

For example, Congress in 1986 passed an amnesty bill that allowed many undocumented aliens to legalize their presence in this country.

This was followed by an amnesty bill, a crimes bill, and a supplement to the officials law.

It is not known how many of Nicaragua's political prisoners would be affected by the pending amnesty bill.