In contrast to commentators who believe that there is little time left in the calendar this year for the House to take on immigration reform, a House Republican leader this weekend not only said that there is enough time–but that passing immigration reform is a “priority” this year. From Seung Min Kim of Politico today:
A top House Republican says in an upcoming interview that the chamber will take up immigration reform in 2013, insisting that “there’s still time” for a comprehensive rewrite despite the rapidly dwindling time left on this year’s calendar.
Washington Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers, the chairwoman of the House Republican Conference, said during an interview with Univision’s “Al Punto” that top leaders are still discussing when to bring immigration bills to the House floor.
Speaker John Boehner “over the last few weeks has continued to talk about the importance of the House moving forward on immigration reform,” McMorris Rodgers said, according to a transcript provided by Univision. “I believe that we have a window here between now and the end of the year and that this is a priority”…
“We must pass immigration reform,” McMorris Rodgers, the fourth-ranking House Republican, said. “It’s a priority for Republicans, for Democrats. There’s a recognition that it’s important to America. It’s important to our economy. America has long been the land of immigrants.”
McMorris-Rogers did this interview with “Al Punto with Jorge Ramos,” one of the most important sources of commentary in Spanish-language media. Ramos himself has made immigration a top priority and has been unabashed about calling out members of Congress on the issue. By discussing immigration reform as a priority on Al Punto, McMorris-Rogers has definitely raised the stakes for her party.
Watch the interview below:
