House Democrats Aim To Push Past GOP On Immigration

WASHINGTON -- House Democrats are hoping to reignite the debate over a comprehensive immigration reform bill this week through a procedural stunt meant to force a vote or, at the very least, create a pressure point for Republicans who are stalling on the issue.

A senior Democratic aide said Monday that the procedural move, known as a discharge petition, will be unveiled at a Wednesday morning press event, followed by members signing onto the document on the House floor.

Faced with a minority in the House and a majority conference that largely opposes their efforts, Democrats have turned to the discharge petition maneuver this year on issues such as unemployment insurance, raising the minimum wage and now immigration. If a petition receives 218 signatures, it will force a vote on the House floor, even if the legislation in question is opposed by the majority party leadership that controls the House calendar.

Democrats hope to pressure Republicans to hold a vote on a comprehensive immigration reform bill, which they argue could pass if it went up for a vote before the entire House. A GOP leadership aide said it's unlikely the petition will get the required signatures, and if it does not, there is no chance the bill will go for a vote.

Even if they don't get the 218 signatures needed to force a vote on the immigration bill, Democrats hope the petition will give them something to mobilize around, better preparing them to push Republicans to support reform.

There are currently 200 cosponsors -- a few of them non-voting members -- of the bill, which is based on comprehensive legislation that already passed the Senate and a border security bill approved by the House Homeland Security Committee.

The sponsors include three Republicans: Reps. David Valadao (Calif.), Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (Fla.) and Jeff Denham (Calif.).

The Democratic aide said nearly all House Democrats are expected to sign on to the petition, although some do not sign discharge petitions as a matter of practice. The three GOP members who co-sponsored the bill, however, have said that they will not sign the discharge petition. Spokespersons for Valadao and Denham confirmed Monday that the congressmen have not changed their minds, and Ros-Lehtinen's office did not respond to a request for comment.

Although House GOP leadership put forward a set of principles on immigration reform in January, there have been no votes -- or even bills released -- on the issue since. Source

another political strategy

GOP trying to get votes, cosponsoring bills they think wont and don't want to pass. Also releasing principles that they don't plan to work on just so they can get votes. We're not dumb.

If you're an immigrant and have citizen friends who are from your culture and know of your situation, and they still vote Republican, you should disown them. There is no excuse for any Hispanic, middle easterner, Asian, or other immigrant to vote Republican. Whites are actually in the minority in most places so how hell do they keep getting votes with policy like this?

This might work, but not Senate needs to get on board.

There are some problems with immigration policies. As far as I know, U.S. immigration law is very complex, and there is much confusion as to how it works. The body of law governing current immigration policy, provides for an annual worldwide limit of 675,000 permanent immigrants, with certain exceptions for close family members. But, it didn't happen every year.

hee hee hee TAG YOU'RE IT!

come on, stop this.