House GOP pushes hardline immigration plan as Senate deals fail

The main author of the House bill, Judiciary Chairman Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.), said Thursday that he’s building support for his measure, even as other GOP colleagues said an initial vote tally this week was well below the 218 votes needed to pass the bill.

Speaker Paul Ryan’s (R-Wis.) “instructions to me are ‘get this bill done,’ and we’re working hard to accomplish that,” Goodlatte said in an interview for C-SPAN’s “Newsmakers” program.

Ryan, Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) and Majority Whip Steve Scalise (R-La.) “are all in to get that done and we’re going to work very hard,” Goodlatte said, adding that his Securing America’s Future Act has White House approval.

Scalise informed the GOP conference during a meeting this week that the whip count on the Goodlatte bill came back below the 218 votes needed, according to a source in the room.

Leaders are still working to build support for the measure, sending bill sponsors back to the drawing board to explore whether they can make changes to win over more Republicans.

Goodlatte already made some tweaks to appease the agricultural industry's concerns over the guest worker program that is established by the legislation.

But lawmakers from agricultural regions say the changes aren’t enough. Rep. Jeff Denham (R-Calif.), who represents the Golden State’s agriculture-heavy Central Valley, said he’s still opposed to the bill because the cap on seasonal workers is still too low and the “touchback” provisions do not provide strong enough guarantees workers will be able to come back to the U.S. once they return to their home countries.

Ryan’s options on immigration are limited, given that he promised to put an immigration measure on the floor only if it has a majority of the GOP’s support and only if Trump would sign it.

Lawmakers acknowledge that the Goodlatte bill wasn’t going to pass the Senate, but they wanted to have a strong starting point in the DACA negotiations if there was a conference — a scenario that now looks far less likely.

Some of these votes are tough votes. But you want to take a tough vote that is going to matter.”

Democrats and even some Republicans will certainly continue to fight to resolve DACA by the next government funding deadline on March 23, when Democratic support will be needed to pass an omnibus spending bill.

“We’re still serious about trying to get to a common position here,” said Cole, a senior appropriator. “Eyes are turning pretty rapidly to the omnibus.”

http://thehill.com/homenews/house/37...ate-deals-fail

it ain't over till its over. March 23rd it is.

Democrats will hold the line this time. (i hope lol)

Yay for the bill that makes us third class citizens

There is nothing to hold... they got what they wanted and they accomplished nothing. Remember that they shut the gov down to have these votes today to fail

Shitlatte bill can’t even get 150 republicans on board.

good ole' fate has something up her sleeve, it's not going to end like this.

have faith fam, we didnt even see the DACA injunction coming. im sure we'll be surprised again.

I agree, I have this feeling too that we might be in for a good surprise.

Yea I mean, it would of just been pointless to have us on the news for months for no reason at all. That's not like the government. When they direct the media to cover something it means something about that subject is bound to happen. For better or for worse.

I dont like how far that can got kicked down though. March 23rd? Thats another fucking month of waiting. Bullshit. I swear theyre buying time to deport a whole bunch of us.

Trump will save us.

Green cards for Xmas.

Summary:

Got laid off? Out!

Got sick? Out!

Can't pay loans? Out!

Can't pay $1,000 within one year to build the wall? Out!

Can't prove with "clear and convincing evidence" that you need the status every 3 years? Out!
* This is much higher standard of evidence than current DACA application

Want to claim Social Security and other benefits that you have been paying into? Out!

Can't maintain an income 125% above poverty level ($31,000 for family of four)? Out!