McConnell to House GOP: Don’t expect miracle on immigration

The Hill ^ | January 15, 2015 | By Alexander Bolton and Scott Wong

[Jim Robinson]

HERSHEY, PA. — Senate GOP leaders are using their joint retreat with the House to warn conservatives that they’re not going to be able to reverse President Obama’s executive orders on immigration.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) told House lawmakers that he needs at least six Democrats to pass legislation approved by the House that funds the Homeland Security Department and repeals Obama’s actions deferring deportation for millions of illegal immigrants.

He told House Republicans not to expect miracles, since it would take 60 Senate votes to send the House bill to Obama’s desk, and McConnell only has 54 Republican votes. “You look at the hand you’re dealt. There are not 60 Republicans, so you have to convince six Democrats to move with them,” said one border-state Republican congressman. “Pigs will fly out of my rear end before that happens.”

It’s also far from clear that all 54 Republican senators would support the House bill, which would also undo Obama’s 2012 order that gives legal status to certain people who entered the U.S. illegally as children.

Twenty-six House Republicans voted against that portion of the bill on Wednesday.

Sen. John Cornyn (Texas), the No. 2 Senate Republican, told reporters on Thursday that the bill could be changed by amendment in the Senate.

Cornyn’s comments also sent the signal that GOP conservatives in the House need to lower their expectations.

Without a deal, the Homeland Security Department could shutdown after Feb. 27, when its existing funding runs out.

That’s something Republicans in both chambers want to avoid, and the messages from Cornyn and McConnell are sinking in, the border-state congressman said.

[itsahoot]

Enough of the excuses. Do something. Fight!

Get with it Red, they can stop us with a minority but we can't stop them with a minority, don't you understand anything?

[Happy1947]

Exactly! I may be dense but I won’t be fooled again! It’s amazing how they let Demos run roughshod over them. The Demos never return the favor regardless of who has political power. Of course the Demos have the media on their side also.