Just a few moments ago, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid dashed hopes that immigration reform would be dealt with soon.
“We won’t to get immigration reform in this work period,” Reid told reporters on Capitol Hill.
The Republicans have said in recent weeks that they’re going to hold up the rest of the Democrats’ agenda following the passage of health care reform. Immigration rights activists have wanted to see some action as Reid (D-NV) and President Obama have said several times a comprehensive bill is a top priority.
But Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC), one of the minority party’s immigration reform negotiators, had told TPMDC last month that the Republicans are pretty upset with the way the Democrats handled health care.
“Immigration is not going to happen in the Senate,” Graham said. “There is no desire to do immigration in the United States Senate in 2010.”
Reid said he hopes to get to climate change legislation later this year. Graham, also working on a bipartisan bill addressing climate change, said today he expects to present that bill’s language to senate colleagues next week.
Late Update: Reid spokesman Jim Manley writes in to remind us that the leader never said this work period would be the one that tackled immigration.
“Senator Reid is committed to moving a comprehensive reform bill as soon as possible. I expect that he will try to bring a bill to the floor as soon as it is reported out of the Senate Judiciary Committee,” spokesman Jim Manley said.
Additional reporting by Christina Bellantoni
