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Litmus Test for Kevin McCarthy as Majority Leader: Will You Schedule a Vote on Immigration Reform or Not?

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Will He be a Leader that Saves the GOP Heading into 2016, or Will He Cave to Steve King and the “Hell No” Caucus?

With a number of new reports predicting that current House Majority Whip Kevin McCarthy’s (R-CA) will win the election for House Majority Leader, many have asked how the likely new Majority Leader will handle immigration reform in his new role.

Over the past year, McCarthy has made several comments about the need to push for a vote on immigration.  In November of last year, after a group of 13 women staged a sit-in at Rep. McCarthy’s office in Bakersfield, he finally emerged from his back office at 11 pm to promise the women that he woud continue pushing for immigration reform in the House.  In January, he came out in support of legalizing undocumented immigrants.  And in February, in an interview with Eyewitness News in Bakersfield and a subsequent article posted online, Rep. McCarthy disputed the notion that he wasn’t pushing on immigration, saying, “Me personally, as Whip, I do a lot every single day…Sometimes it’s tough to move it…But, the most important thing is to get it done right.”

According to Frank Sharry, Executive Director of America’s Voice:

As the person responsible for scheduling House votes, when it comes to immigration reform McCarthy will either be a hero or a zero.  He can save the GOP from itself by quickly scheduling a vote on historic legislation that the majority of the House, the country and even his district supports; or he can squander the opportunity, let the Steve King caucus run the show and do for the national party what Pete Wilson did for the California Republican Party.  The future of the GOP may well hinge on his choice.

351 Days Since Senate Passed its Immigration Bill; 13 Days Left Until Window of Opportunity Closes