US Senate moves on immigration law

The US Senate voted on Tuesday to move forward with a revised immigration bill that would strengthen border security, expand "guest worker" jobs and offer a path to citizenship to an estimated 11 million illegal immigrants in the United States.

The 64-35 procedural vote opened the way for senators to consider a series of amendments, many of them designed to tighten the rules and win over conservative sceptics of an overhaul championed by President George W Bush.

A first attempt to move forward on the bill failed on June 7. Since then, Bush and top aides have lobbied hard with Republican senators who opposed the original version.