compromise
02-07-2014, 09:53 AM
http://www.nationalreview.com/corner/370421/labrador-immigration-reform-should-be-one-first-things-gop-agenda-2015-andrew-stiles
If President Obama can prove he is serious about enforcing the law, immigration reform should be “one of the first things” Republicans take up . . . in 2015, Representative Raul Labrador (R., Idaho) said Wednesday.
“I think it’s a mistake for us to have an internal battle in the Republican party this year about immigration reform,” he said. ”I do think we need to address the issue, and I do think when we take back the Senate in 2014 one of the first things we should do next year after we deal with certain economic issues, I think we should address the immigration-reform issue. The president has a year to prove to us that he’s willing to actually enforce the law.”
Among House Republicans, Labrador said, there was “overwhelming support for the idea of doing nothing this year” on immigration, even among those who may agree with the principles outlined by House leadership at last week’s retreat in Cambridge, Md. “I’ve seen some reports in the media that say the majority of [Republicans] were okay with the immigration principles,” he said. “That’s not true. The majority of people didn’t even express their opinion about the principles, they expressed their opinion about the timing of putting these principles forward.”
“When I go back to my district, people are worried about losing their jobs, people are worried about the increasing cost of health care. They’re worried about all these different things, and the last thing they’re worried about, really, is immigration,” Labrador said. “I’m a strong advocate for immigration reform. I think it needs to happen. But we need to show the American people that we can actually provide more economic growth, more jobs, and more prosperity.”
If President Obama can prove he is serious about enforcing the law, immigration reform should be “one of the first things” Republicans take up . . . in 2015, Representative Raul Labrador (R., Idaho) said Wednesday.
“I think it’s a mistake for us to have an internal battle in the Republican party this year about immigration reform,” he said. ”I do think we need to address the issue, and I do think when we take back the Senate in 2014 one of the first things we should do next year after we deal with certain economic issues, I think we should address the immigration-reform issue. The president has a year to prove to us that he’s willing to actually enforce the law.”
Among House Republicans, Labrador said, there was “overwhelming support for the idea of doing nothing this year” on immigration, even among those who may agree with the principles outlined by House leadership at last week’s retreat in Cambridge, Md. “I’ve seen some reports in the media that say the majority of [Republicans] were okay with the immigration principles,” he said. “That’s not true. The majority of people didn’t even express their opinion about the principles, they expressed their opinion about the timing of putting these principles forward.”
“When I go back to my district, people are worried about losing their jobs, people are worried about the increasing cost of health care. They’re worried about all these different things, and the last thing they’re worried about, really, is immigration,” Labrador said. “I’m a strong advocate for immigration reform. I think it needs to happen. But we need to show the American people that we can actually provide more economic growth, more jobs, and more prosperity.”