Any bill coming out of conference will include a path to citizenship, but it may be contingent upon certain metrics. Once it gets to conference, the Gang of 8 takes over.
2) Bohner will not put an immi bill up for a vote unless he has a majority of GOP. Not even after conference. He never made that same promise for those other 5 bills, but he did with immi-amnesty.
As I indicated, there is a strong preference within the GOP for an immigration bill that will increase the guest worker program as well as the number of permanent legal immigrants. Depending on how the bill is worded, it could provide the cover they need for the majority to vote for the bill. One proviso that could prove pivotal is how strong the border control portion of the bill is written. It could lead to the majority of GOP approving the bill with amnesty being a trade off.
And lets be clear about amnesty. The status quo gives the Dem a win. Every year we bring in 1.2 million permanent legal immigrants. They vote two to one for the Dems. They are also 87% minorities as classified by the USG. In essence, we have the equivalent of an amnesty every ten years.
By 2019 half of the children 18 and under will be minorities. Each cohort that turns 18 every year becomes more minority and more Democrat. On the other end of the spectrum, each year every cohort that dies is mostly white and Rep. It is only a matter of time before the Dems become the permanent majority party. Unless we reduce legal immigration, the result is preordained. Amnesty just hastens the process.
But getting a SINGLE bill that a majority of House GOP and most of Senate Dems vote for is like climbing Mt Everest with a broken leg.
Send Reid a bill with zero citizenship and then send House home for holidays.
That would be fun to watch.
(sending them nothing is fine with me too_)