DREAM Act Portal Forum - View Single Post - Dems block McConnell from setting up immigration votes

PhelonOne87 · 02-14-2018, 01:40 AM

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) tried to set up a vote at 8 p.m. on a proposal from Sen. Pat Toomey (R-Pa.) that targets federal grants for cities that don't comply with immigration law. He also wanted to vote on a separate plan from Sens. Christopher Coons (D-Del.) and John McCain (R-Ariz.) that links a fix for the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program with a border security plan.

As a result of the standstill, the Senate is expected to vote to formally begin debate on Wednesday morning.

GOP senators said McConnell collected signatures for cloture petitions during a closed-door caucus lunch earlier Tuesday as he looks for a way to break the current logjam.

The GOP leader wants to wrap up debate on the immigration bill by the end of the week.

"We have other things to do," he told reporters, when asked if he would let the debate extend beyond this week.

The Senate is currently scheduled to be on a weeklong recess next week. Resuming the debate once they return could push a final immigration vote up against the initial March 5 deadline to find a DACA fix.

http://thehill.com/homenews/senate/3...mpression=true