GOP rep[Goodlatte] expects October immigration reform vote

Ianus · 09-10-2013, 03:51 PM

It seems Goodlatte is indicating that despite the tight schedule the House will still vote on the immigration bills passed by the House Judiciary.I think everyone is much more interested on when the House Judiciary will work on the legal status elements and what it entails for Dreamers.I'm assuming that Russian deal deflates the issue of Syria somewhat.

Quote:

Republican Congressman Bob Goodlatte, chair of the House Judiciary Committee overseeing immigration, said he expected Congress to pursue reform legislation despite a tight schedule featuring debates over Syria, health care, and the debt limit.

Those and other issues “should not deter us from getting to [immigration] as soon as possible,” Goodlatte said in an appearance on WAMU’s Kojo Nnamdi Show on Tuesday.

Goodlatte said he expected votes soon, perhaps in October, on a series of smaller House bills on border security, internal enforcement, guest workers, and high-tech visas.

“Those bills are ready to go to the floor of the House and it’s my hope they come to the floor of the House as soon as possible,” he said.

That package of legislation might be a relatively easy lift for Republicans. However, when it comes to more controversial issues, namely what to do with the estimated 11 million undocumented immigrants living in the United States today, House Republicans have yet to coalesce around a plan.

That said, Goodlatte pointed to discussions within the House GOP around legislation concerning young undocumented immigrants. More notably, he also mentioned a potential bill “related to the legal status of people who are not here lawfully today, a larger group.”

Goodlatte said House Republicans would only proceed with majority support from within their party, abiding by the so-called “Hastert Rule” that leadership often—but not always—applies to votes. He said members were especially concerned that the Senate’s bill did not go far enough in guaranteeing tough security and enforcement measures that will take effect before affected immigrants obtain legal status.

“We want to make sure that these enforcement mechanisms are put in place before people get a legal status,” he said.

The Virginia Congressman recently deflated immigration reformers’ hopes by suggesting he doesn’t favor a path to citizenship even for young undocumented immigrants. In an interview with the Wall Street Journal over the recess, he said he might be content to pass a House immigration bill to establish the party’s position and then leave it to a future Congress to actually negotiate a final deal. Those comments earned him a scathing takedown from the Washington Post‘s editorial board, which called him an exemplar of “delay, denial and delusion” on immigration.

But according to Goodlatte’s Tuesday interview, the citizenship debate was still ongoing, at least for young undocumented immigrants.

“We don’t know what this bill is going to look like, but whether it’s a legal status or whether it includes a legal status and then a way to earn citizenship through education, military service, or types of employment, whatever the case may be, all of this is being discussed,” he said. One of the big obstacles to reaching a final bill, he added, was trying to find a way to discourage future immigrants from bringing their children to America in the hopes of obtaining legal status for them through similar legislation.

Goodlatte said there was still a discussion within the party in general regarding undocumented immigrants and whether, instead of a “special path to citizenship” they might be able to instead obtain citizenship through more limited visa programs available to legal immigrants. The Senate’s bill would grant an expedited path to citizenship for young undocumented immigrants while routing most eligible immigrants through an earned pathway that would take at least 13 years to complete before they obtained citizenship.

“There is a difference of opinion on whether they get a legal status and then an opportunity if they qualify through the traditional ways through which people have qualified for permanent residence or citizenship or whether they would get a special way,” he said.

dado123 · 04:54 PM

Good news , with my optimistic cap on, hopefully the date for a CIR vote happens prior year's end 2013.

2Face · 09-10-2013, 04:50 PM

Well. Seems like the Russians may have helped us out a little here. IF there is a vote on a COMPREHENSIVE bill regardless whether its the House's own version or the Senate's bill, I am CONFIDENT that we will have immigration reform and that both chambers will eventually reconcile the bill. However, if they pursue PIECEMEAL bills, that will effectively KILL CIR. This is the ultimate truth. Knowing Goodlatte, he will most likely pursue the latter option which is very sad because more and more Republicans have come out in the past few weeks in support of CIR with a strong legalization component.

Kristof · 09-10-2013, 06:46 PM

This is good news.

Airmarshall · 09-10-2013, 07:20 PM

Am I the only one that has noticed this guy changes his stance on CIR every interview he does?

VeryNicePerson1 · 09-10-2013, 07:29 PM

Quote:

Goodlatte said he expected votes soon, perhaps in October

Stopped reading there.

Dreamer X · 09-10-2013, 07:47 PM

I believe him. October 2020

Pluribus · 09-10-2013, 08:33 PM

Lies, they got nothing done.

"Let's do nothing, death to immigration 2013!" - GOP

leo86 · 09-10-2013, 09:03 PM

This RancidLatte sure must be enjoying himself. He's relishing all the attention he is getting from this.
I mean, he went from being a total unknown to the "kingmaker" of this immigration thing.
It sucks so much to be at the mercy of these guys

DA User · 09-11-2013, 02:54 AM

I am very excited. Wow, what a great news this is!

S	M	T	W	T	F	S
	1	2	3	4	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

They need you!

Forum links

Resources

Join our list

National calendar of events

September

GOP rep[Goodlatte] expects October immigration reform vote