Pelosi and Becerra trying to revive immigration reform in the House.
Pelosi, House Dems still hope to revive immigration reform
Pelosi -- along with Dem Rep. Xavier Becerra, a key player on immigration -- may introduce in the House the version of the Senate bill that passed through the Judiciary Committee. Dems would be expected to rally around it.
Pelosi would take the bill, which doesn't include the amendment throwing a huge amount of money at border security that was attached on the Senate floor by Senators John Hoeven and Bob Corker, which is opposed by a lot of House Democrats and even some House Republicans who derided it as "border candy."
Instead,
Pelosi's plan (which is not finalized) would take the Senate Judiciary Committee bill and add another measure -- sponsored by GOP Rep. Michael McCaul and Dem Rep. Bennie Thompson -- that
sets out clear border security benchmarks and calls for the meeting of those metrics to be consulted on by a number of key stakeholders. That measure passed the House Homeland Security Community with unanimous bipartisan support.
The question, of course, is whether Pelosi's new tack is likely to be effective. As is always the case with every policy proposal, the details will make all the difference -- will Republicans call for benchmarks to serve as "triggers" before progressive measures can take effect? Will the GOP extend a de facto veto power to the stakeholders?
That said,
Pelosi's idea at least keeps the debate going and breathes new life into legislation that's otherwise faltering. What's more, it also puts Republican skeptics in the awkward position of possibly rejecting measures that enjoyed bipartisan support just this year.
http://maddowblog.msnbc.com/_news/2013/09/24/20674421-pelosi-house-dems-still-hope-to-revive-immigration-reform
It seems likely that the tea-party controlled House will succeed in killing immigration reform. Those who thought the republican party learned a lesson about alienating Hispanics last year have underestimated the power of obstinance. While this Pelosi/Becerra idea is unlikely to break through the tea party opposition, it may hold their feet to the fire a little longer and cause more political damage to the republican brand.