America’s Voice Reacts to President’s Immigration Speech
The following is a statement by Frank Sharry, Executive Director of America’s Voice, in response to the President’s speech on immigration. Mr. Sharry was in attendance at the White House for the President’s remarks:
President Obama’s speech on immigration today presented a clear rationale for why passing immigration reform is in the nation’s interest and achievable this year.
Despite the common-sense nature of the President’s remarks on immigration, today and in the past, every time President Obama engages on the issue of immigration, it leads to a round of analysis about whether his involvement helps or hurts the reform effort. So let me be clear: President Obama is not the issue. House Republicans, and their inability to get anything done, is the real issue. The votes exist today to pass reform in the House. Republicans talk a good game, but we have not seen one piece of bi-partisan legislation put forward by the GOP. They will need democratic votes, and nowhere is that reality expressed in a real bill. As such, this is all about the House GOP.
The President’s more visible involvement doesn’t’ make this issue more partisan; it is a simple fact that the House needs to start voting on things the American people want achieved. On immigration and many other issues.