Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) on Tuesday said immigration reform poses an “irresolvable conflict” between the two chambers and predicted that it won’t be completed in 2014.
“I think we have a sort of irresolvable conflict here,” he told reporters at his weekly press conference. “The Senate insists on comprehensive [reform], the House says it won’t go to conference with the Senate on comprehensive, and wants to look at step-by-step [reform]. I don’t see how you get to an outcome this year with the two bodies in such different places.”
The Republican leader, who is facing re-election this year, declined to take a position on the House GOP’s broad blueprint for reform that was released by leadership last week. It calls for legal status (but not necessarily with the promise of citizenship) for people living in the country illegally.
Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) said Tuesday that House Republican leaders are still discussing the issue with members and haven’t yet decided on how to proceed when it comes to advancing immigration legislation.
Jose Dante Parra, an aide to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV), immediately accused McConnell of trying to undermine Boehner.
.@sahilkapur why is McConnell undermining Boehner? We can pass #CIR this year if other Rs support Boehners effort. .@MariaESalinas
— Jose Dante Parra (@JoseDanteParra) February 4, 2014
