Posted on 05/16/2018 12:06:56 PM PDT by ethom
- U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Paul Ryan on Wednesday faced revolts from the right and center of his Republican Party as lawmakers fought over legislation that would protect young illegal immigrants from deportation.
At a morning press conference after huddling privately with rank-and-file Republicans, Ryan warned a small group of moderates that it would be a "big mistake" if they continued pushing a procedural maneuver to force votes on four separate immigration bills.
Instead, Ryan said he was working with the White House on a singular measure that would win President Donald Trump's support. At a press conference, Ryan did not provide details or a timetable for advancing such legislation.
So far, 18 of the House's 235 Republicans signed a petition aimed at forcing a wide-ranging immigration debate that would allow the bill with the most votes to advance to the Senate.
They aim to join forces with Democrats to pull off the rare procedural trick in defiance of leadership. Some of the 18 are retiring, while some others are moderates seeking re-election in November and represent districts with a significant number of Hispanics.
Meanwhile, Ryan also faced a challenge from the other wing of his party, as hard-right conservative members of the House Freedom Caucus discussed withholding their votes on an unrelated farm bill later this week unless Ryan agrees to bring to the floor a tough bill clamping down on legal and illegal immigration.
That measure, spearheaded by House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte, also would give temporary protections to the young "Dreamer" immigrants who were brought into the United States illegally when they were children.
Freedom Caucus member Jim Jordan said Republican leadership had been telling members there does not appear to be enough support for passage of Goodlatte's bill, but Jordan still favors voting on it alone rather than having the House vote on it as part of a series of four measures that would be called up by the moderates' petition.
One of the four, a bipartisan bill, deals with the Dreamers and provides more border security, but not by building the southwest border wall Trump demands. Despite its potential for support from both parties, Jordan said it is not what the "American people" want on immigration.
Last September, Trump announced he was ending the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program created in 2012 by then-President Barack Obama. It has protected some 800,000 undocumented immigrants from deportation, allowing them to study and work in the United States under temporary protection.
Trump called on Congress to pass legislation replacing DACA and providing permanent protections for the youths. But he has given conflicting statements on precisely what he would support and Congress missed a March 5 deadline for sending him a bill.
Like Trump, Ryan also has said he wants to deal with the DACA problem that has left the immigrants in limbo, but so far has refused to advance any bill.
Representative John Faso, a Republican who has signed the petition, told reporters: "I'm not happy with inaction" and noted that "time is running out" for Congress to do something before November's congressional elections.
House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi, noting Trump's shifting positions, called for fast action and told reporters, "I don't know if the president knows if he would veto" the bipartisan bill.
He could kill this Amnesty cheap labor express .
He attended La Raza amnesty meeting and cheered them on .
He is behind this New Amnesty push .
House leaders could kill this in two seconds .
Kill the reps committee spots and Kill there primary funds.
See Ryan or Steve doing ?
NO .
You are getting played by the Koch Bros cheap labor Express !
I’m sure you were defending the Koch Brothers with all your power when they were under attack by the Goebbelsmedia a couple of years back.
Few things are less effective than random rhetoric directed at our leadership, including the administrative positions. Do they pay you for your attempts to divide Trumpdom? Or is it just a hobby?
Illegalism is the greatest threat to our nation and “conservatives” must unify to defeat it. It is a sure fire winning subject for campaign ads.
Amnesty whore Ryan PAC has funded every single K street - Koch Bros Trump hating Amnesty sell outs.
Stop defending these Ryan and his fellow Amnesty whores! Stop the spin .
Rhetorical charges have no validity. Besides Ryan is leaving, so you will have someone new to screech “sellout” and “RINO” at. It shouldn’t take long.
You are a Gope Never Trumper TROLL !
http://freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3656310/posts
Read and weep your lying fraud .
Neve4 Trump Troll here is the truth you Ryan trolls try to hide .
http://freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3656310/posts
Dear Dumbass I was one of the very first Trumpsters here, maybe the first. Try again. The actual trolls are trying to split the party away from its leadership.
Dear Dumbass I was one of the very first Trumpsters here, maybe the first. Try again. The actual trolls are trying to split the party away from its leadership.
You. Nasty idiot .
Pushing Ryan crap .
Get a grip .
Let us talk about crap-here we are in the midst of a totalitarian overthrow of the government and you have a hard-on about Ryan? Now that is crap.
Those leadership choices have been made and it would be extremely stupid to throw the House into chaos by taking out the Leader. The Goebbelsmedia would be in heaven talking non-stop about how the Republicans are fighting a civil war while the Democrats throw in a stink-bomb from time to time just to keep things boiling.
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