Sen. Charles E. Schumer, who helped shepherd a broad rewrite of the nation’s immigration laws through the Senate last year, says legislation will pass both Houses of Congress by the end of this year.
“We will have an immigration bill — it may not be exactly the Senate bill — on the floor of the House. … We will come to an agreement. They will put that bill on the president’s desk for President Obama to sign into law,” Mr. Schumer, New York Democrat, said Monday in an event co-sponsored by the New York Daily News.
“The Republican Party knows if it continues to be seen as anti-immigrant, they’re going to lose election after election,” he said. “Their leadership knows it, and they’re trying to convince the rank and file.”
House Speaker John A. Boehner has consistently said the Senate bill, which provides an eventual path to U.S. citizenship for the estimated 11 million people in the country illegally, is not the right approach and that the House will address the issue in a step-by-step manner by passing measures dealing with individual items like border security.
Mr. Boehner, Ohio Republican, has attracted attention in recent days for lampooning his own members’ purported unwillingness to move on the issue.
The 12th Annual Daily News/CUNY Citizenship NOW! call-in event from April 28 to May 2, where Mr. Schumer made the prediction, provides confidential immigration and citizenship information for participants.
SPECIAL COVERAGE: Immigration Reform
• David Sherfinski can be reached at dsherfinski@washingtontimes.com.
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