House group near immigration deal

Ianus · 04-01-2013, 05:38 AM

http://www.politico.com/story/2013/0...499_Page2.html

Quote:

A small, bipartisan House group is nearly finished with its immigration reform plan, which it hopes to announce the week of April 8 when Congress returns from recess.

But lawmakers and leadership are carefully eying several significant lingering technical issues to bring it across the finish line.

The key issues causing concern are fears about the price tag of immigration reform, the pathway to citizenship for the nation’s 11 million illegal immigrants and the process by which a slow-moving House Republican Conference might introduce and vote on a bill that would overhaul the system.

These items — described by several sources involved in the secret talks — are under active consideration by the group and the senior members of the Republican leadership as the House group readies for its roll-out when Congress returns from a two-week long break.

That the House is this far along is significant because of the deep partisanship that has slowed legislative action on the issue over the last three years. Historically, the House has stuck to small-bore immigration fixes, like securing the border, instead of comprehensive reform. Talks have progressed to the level that both Democratic and Republican leadership are being kept in the loop.

The elements of the plan, which were described by multiple sources, are very fluid and subject to change.

Sources describe the House plan as not differing to starkly from a compromise being drafted by the Senate’s Gang of Eight, a bipartisan group that is also nearing the finish line. Business and labor interests reached a deal Saturday on a long-thorny issue regarding visas for low-skilled workers, which significantly increases the chances of an overall deal in the Senate.

But the GOP-controlled House has always been seen as a less hospitable place for full-scale immigration reform. Nonetheless, the recent progress made by the House group is promising. Among Republicans, Reps. Raul Labrador of Idaho and Mario Diaz-Balart of Florida are seen as key.

There are still issues to work out.

One is cost — the price of securing the border is steep. People involved in the talks are hopeful that the cost can be offset with increased visa fees. But Republicans are more concerned about the burden undocumented workers could put on the nation’s entitlement structure — that is, the massive cost that are absorbed officially into the nation’s newly implemented health care system. The GOP is considering demanding that language be inserted into any bill to make it clear that 11 million new immigrants cannot get plopped onto the nation’s social safety net.

Sources describe the House GOP plan for a pathway to citizenship as more of an obstacle course — people involved in the negotiations prefer to call it a “pathway to status.” The plan does eventually lead to citizenship, according to sources familiar with it, but such a step could take roughly two decades.

Under the House plan, it would take more than 10 years to get a green card, and will require paying back taxes, a hefty penalty, sources say. Undocumented immigrants would have to gain proficiency in English and make some sort of admission that the law was broken. Some negotiators have floated the idea of having an undocumented immigrant “plead guilty” to breaking immigration laws, according to sources involved,. The lengthy time it would take for undocumented immigrants to get a green card and citizenship will also help lower the cost of the bill, since the Congressional Budget Office assesses budgetary impact in a 10-year period, the sources said.

Securing the border would be an important part of the House plan, and is likely to serve as a trigger for both a low-skilled worker program and for the pathway to citizenship for those in the U.S. illegally. Republicans are very squeamish about giving the administration the power to certify the borders as secure.

The GOP is also debating internally the appropriate method for eventually bringing such a contentious bill to the floor.

Three committees — Judiciary; Education and Workforce; and Homeland Security — have jurisdiction. There’s a question as to whether all three committees will get a crack at it, or just Judiciary. But giving Judiciary sole jurisdiction presents problems on its own: the committee has immigration hard-liners like Iowa’s Steve King, Arizona’s Trent Franks and Texas’s Louie Gohmert.

The GOP is also mulling skipping the committee process and instead having lengthy discussions among Republicans to work out the legislation’s kinks. This would allow leading conservatives who are crafting the deal with Democrats to explain the policy. That seems to be the preferred path, according to conversations with several GOP aides.

But such a move risks sparking an outcry from the Republican members that the House leadership is bypassing the standard legislative process by which Boehner (R-Ohio) has promised to abide.

The House is unlikely to vote on one big bill. Instead, the legislation is likely to be moved in parts, so Republicans and Democrats can vote against elements they oppose.

Republicans say reforming visa laws for high-tech workers is key to a compromise.

The talks, which have been going on in some form for nearly four years, have been extremely quiet and limited to rank-and-file lawmakers. As the discussions near completion, the GOP leadership is providing strategic counsel[Crafty Boehner?]. Sources described the talks anonymously, because they are not authorized to speak publicly about the sensitive negotiations.

The process is being driven by Republicans Diaz-Balart and Labrador. GOPers John Carter and Sam Johnson of Texas have been negotiating with Democrats Xavier Becerra and Zoe Lofgren of California, Luis Gutierrez of Illinois and John Yarmuth of Kentucky.

Throughout the process, both Republicans and Democrats have recognized that Labrador is the lynchpin to getting something done. Without his stamp of approval, a compromise could easily fall apart. Labrador is focused on the pathway to citizenship and ensuring that Congress tightens restrictions on which family members can follow a newly legal immigrant into the country.

It’s unclear whether lawmakers will unveil principles of agreement or a draft bill when they return from recess, sources say. But when a product is unveiled, both Republicans and Democrats will have to begin the process of gathering support from outside groups. That is something that Senate negotiators chose to do ahead of time. But House members can always draw on the principles agreed to by such groups as the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the AFL-CIO for the Senate draft.

pavpatel · 04-01-2013, 08:25 AM

i like this better. cuz it's in parts.

Severity · 04-01-2013, 10:12 AM

Nah brah. Theyre just trying to get their way before the senate starts running shiz

Pianoswithoutfaith · 04-01-2013, 12:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pavpatel

i like this better. cuz it's in parts.

I like which ever bill includes DACAers in it but any bill affecting my family in a positive way is more sound to me

Task_1539 · 04-01-2013, 12:19 PM

Plead guilty to breaking immigration law.

He'll no, some employers wouldn't understand 100% what it means or immedietly be prejudice.

Pianoswithoutfaith · 04-01-2013, 02:20 PM

Only kids under the age 18 would not have to plead guilty.

Task_1539 · 04-01-2013, 02:30 PM

It still puts an unnecessary stigma on the rest, though.

DA User · 04-01-2013, 06:37 PM

I am loving this article. It is fair.

Pianoswithoutfaith · 04-02-2013, 04:19 PM

CIR this month right?

DA User · 04-03-2013, 01:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pianoswithoutfaith

CIR this month right?

My prediction is this month.

S	M	T	W	T	F	S
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5	6	7	8	9	10	11
12	13	14	15	16	17	18
19	20	21	22	23	24	25
26	27	28	29	30

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House group near immigration deal