Sen. Menendez today at a roundtable for Hispanic media told Republicans that it’s still on them to call for a vote on immigration reform:
There are a fair amount of Republicans, including those who talk to me, that want to see an opportunity for a vote on reform. And, what I tell them is to go quietly tell the Speaker that you support the effort, because it is the Speaker who can ultimately bring this to a vote. Let’s not lose sight that at the end of the day, you have to have leadership on this issue, and if the Speaker decides that this is coming for a vote, then there will be a vote. And, Members will have to choose….. But those of us who believe in immigration reform defeat ourselves by adopting the narrative that this is dead. Nothing should be allowed to be declared dead. So it is foolish to say that this is the narrative for those who have never wanted immigration reform in the first place. They are the minority and we cannot allow the minority to be the voices of the majority.
And here’s Rep. Xavier Becerra on MSNBC today reminding Republicans that immigration reform must still get done (writeup is from The Hill):
“The question on immigration reform is not if we get it done but when we get it done,” he said on MSNBC.
He also said it is a message to Congress to start to work together and get things done in a more general sense.
“Eventually when you do nothing but message bills that don’t become law, people understand and they send you a message, they don’t like it,” he said. “I think that’s what we saw in the seventh district of Virginia.”
Mr. Becerra said the majority leader’s loss was the result of not being involved with the lives of his constituents.
“It likely was a result of being disconnected, somewhat out of touch with the district. At the end of the day people want to see you get stuff done,” he said.
