The nation’s top business group is vowing to make the long-stalled immigration bill a reality in 2014.Speaking Wednesday, U.S. Chamber of Commerce President Tom Donohue said he’s not discouraged by the slow progress on the overhaul bill in the Republican-led House of Representatives. “We’re determined to make 2014 the year that immigration reform is finally enacted. The chamber will pull out all the stops — through grass-roots lobbying, communications, politics and partnerships with unions, faith organizations, law enforcement and others,” Donohue said in a speech at the chamber’s Washington, D.C., headquarters.
A comprehensive immigration overhaul was passed by the Senate last year, but Republican leaders have shied away from bringing that bill to the House floor — citing a lack of support in the GOP caucus for some provisions of the bill.
Nevertheless, the immigration overhaul has been a priority of top business groups and their lobbying arms — as well as organized labor and Democratic activists.
“I’ve been encouraged by a lot of the noise and soundings out of the House,” Donohue said at a news conference after the speech. “I’m not discouraged.”
Donohue said the fact that 2014 was a midterm-election year would not change the political calculus on the bill.
“I think Democrats and Republicans alike would like to go home and run for office with something they got done that’s significant. And I believe we’re two-thirds of the way there.
“Four hundred thirty-five people have to go home and run for office, and I think we’re going to get this done,” he said.