© Greg Nash
House Republicans are sending an early warning to their GOP colleagues in the Senate: We’re not a rubber stamp for any deal you cut with Democrats on immigration.
“It’s been crystal clear,” said Rep. Tom Cole
Thomas (Tom) Jeffrey ColeLawmakers see shutdown’s odds rising Week ahead: Lawmakers eye another short-term spending bill GOP leaders face most difficult shutdown deadline yet MORE (R-Okla.). “Just because they accept something, doesn’t mean we will. And it certainly doesn’t mean the administration will.”
Thomas (Tom) Jeffrey ColeLawmakers see shutdown’s odds rising Week ahead: Lawmakers eye another short-term spending bill GOP leaders face most difficult shutdown deadline yet MORE (R-Okla.). “Just because they accept something, doesn’t mean we will. And it certainly doesn’t mean the administration will.”ADVERTISEMENT
The comments arrived on Day Two of the government shutdown, as talks between party leaders have largely broken down and a bipartisan group of Senate moderates has stepped into the void in an attempt to break the impasse with a deal over the fate of the Dreamers.
Rep. Lindsey Graham
Lindsey Olin GrahamDHS chief takes heat over Trump furor Overnight Defense: GOP chair blames Dems for defense budget holdup | FDA, Pentagon to speed approval of battlefield drugs | Mattis calls North Korea situation 'sobering' Bipartisan group to introduce DACA bill in House MORE (R-S.C.), an immigration reform advocate in the midst of those talks, said Sunday that, while sticking points remain, he’s optimistic the discussions can yield an agreement before the 1 a.m. Monday vote scheduled in the Senate on a three-week extension of government funding –– a proposal the Democrats are expected to block.
Lindsey Olin GrahamDHS chief takes heat over Trump furor Overnight Defense: GOP chair blames Dems for defense budget holdup | FDA, Pentagon to speed approval of battlefield drugs | Mattis calls North Korea situation 'sobering' Bipartisan group to introduce DACA bill in House MORE (R-S.C.), an immigration reform advocate in the midst of those talks, said Sunday that, while sticking points remain, he’s optimistic the discussions can yield an agreement before the 1 a.m. Monday vote scheduled in the Senate on a three-week extension of government funding –– a proposal the Democrats are expected to block. “I think there will be a break-through tonight,” Graham said. “If there’s going to be one, it’s going to be tonight.”
Not so fast, said House Republicans.
“No offense to anybody involved, … but Lindsey Graham and Jeff Flake
Jeffrey (Jeff) Lane FlakeMcCain rips Trump for attacks on press Bipartisan group to introduce DACA bill in House Flake's anti-Trump speech will make a lot of noise, but not much sense MORE don’t represent where a majority of the Republicans in the Senate are [on immigration], let alone here,” Cole said Sunday, leaving a gathering of House Republicans in the Capitol basement. “So how can they be the lead negotiators on that?
Jeffrey (Jeff) Lane FlakeMcCain rips Trump for attacks on press Bipartisan group to introduce DACA bill in House Flake's anti-Trump speech will make a lot of noise, but not much sense MORE don’t represent where a majority of the Republicans in the Senate are [on immigration], let alone here,” Cole said Sunday, leaving a gathering of House Republicans in the Capitol basement. “So how can they be the lead negotiators on that? “I just don’t think that’s likely.”
Rep. Mark Meadows
Mark Randall MeadowsFreedom Caucus chair: GOP leaders don't have votes to avoid shutdown GOP leaders pitch children's health funding in plan to avert shutdown House to consider another short-term spending bill MORE (R-N.C.), the head of the far-right Freedom Caucus, is sending a similar message. He emphasized that Trump has insisted that any deal on the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program must also include provisions to strengthen border security, reduce family migration and eliminate the diversity visa lottery. Meadows said he trusts the president to hold that line, regardless what the Senate moderates produce.
Mark Randall MeadowsFreedom Caucus chair: GOP leaders don't have votes to avoid shutdown GOP leaders pitch children's health funding in plan to avert shutdown House to consider another short-term spending bill MORE (R-N.C.), the head of the far-right Freedom Caucus, is sending a similar message. He emphasized that Trump has insisted that any deal on the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program must also include provisions to strengthen border security, reduce family migration and eliminate the diversity visa lottery. Meadows said he trusts the president to hold that line, regardless what the Senate moderates produce.“The president has been very clear in articulating what it would take,” Meadows said.
Meadows also pushed back on reports that Trump might be considering a deal with Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer
Charles (Chuck) Ellis SchumerDemocrats will need to explain if they shut government down over illegal immigration White House: Trump remarks didn't derail shutdown talks Schumer defends Durbin after GOP senator questions account of Trump meeting MORE (D-N.Y.) that would combine the DACA protections with billions of dollars in border-wall funding.
Charles (Chuck) Ellis SchumerDemocrats will need to explain if they shut government down over illegal immigration White House: Trump remarks didn't derail shutdown talks Schumer defends Durbin after GOP senator questions account of Trump meeting MORE (D-N.Y.) that would combine the DACA protections with billions of dollars in border-wall funding.“That was never the deal,” he said. “The president has been very consistent.”
The debate over the fate of DACA recipients, popularly known as "Dreamers," has been a political headache for Republican leaders, who say they’ll accept Trump’s challenge to codify the DACA protections, but have struggled to come up with a proposal that accomplishes that goal without exposing the fierce divisions within their conference on the issue.
House Speaker Paul Ryan
Paul Davis RyanGOP leaders pitch children's health funding in plan to avert shutdown Lawmakers see shutdown’s odds rising Fix what we’ve got and make Medicare right this year MORE (R-Wis.) had promised House conservatives before taking the gavel that he would not bring a vote on any immigration proposal that didn’t meet the so-called Hastert rule, which says that any bill must have the support of the majority of the majority to get a vote.
Paul Davis RyanGOP leaders pitch children's health funding in plan to avert shutdown Lawmakers see shutdown’s odds rising Fix what we’ve got and make Medicare right this year MORE (R-Wis.) had promised House conservatives before taking the gavel that he would not bring a vote on any immigration proposal that didn’t meet the so-called Hastert rule, which says that any bill must have the support of the majority of the majority to get a vote.More recently, Ryan has said he won’t vote on any immigration bill that lacks Trump’s support.
Many conservatives are pushing a Republican bill, sponsored by House Judiciary Chairman Bob Goodlatte
Robert (Bob) William GoodlatteFreedom Caucus chair: GOP leaders don't have votes to avoid shutdown Sessions: 'We should be like Canada' in how we take in immigrants GOP leaders pitch children's health funding in plan to avert shutdown MORE (R-Va.), combining a DACA fix with a reduction in legal immigration and a long list of tough enforcement provisions favored by immigration hawks. Yet it’s unclear if the proposal has the Republican support to pass the House –– “We haven’t whipped the Goodlatte bill; we don’t know where we’re at,” Cole said –– and it would almost certainly fail in the face of Democratic opposition in the Senate.
Robert (Bob) William GoodlatteFreedom Caucus chair: GOP leaders don't have votes to avoid shutdown Sessions: 'We should be like Canada' in how we take in immigrants GOP leaders pitch children's health funding in plan to avert shutdown MORE (R-Va.), combining a DACA fix with a reduction in legal immigration and a long list of tough enforcement provisions favored by immigration hawks. Yet it’s unclear if the proposal has the Republican support to pass the House –– “We haven’t whipped the Goodlatte bill; we don’t know where we’re at,” Cole said –– and it would almost certainly fail in the face of Democratic opposition in the Senate.“We’ve been working steadily, building support very rapidly,” Goodlatte told The Hill on Sunday. He declined to put a number on that support.
Rep. Charlie Dent
Charles (Charlie) Wieder DentGOP rep warns of ‘consequences’ for US standing in Africa after ‘s---hole’ remark GOP angst over midterms grows House Republicans press for harder-line immigration bill MORE (R-Pa.), a moderate immigration reformer, said ultimately GOP leaders will be forced to bring a vote on a DACA fix, whether it meets the standards of the Hastert rule or not.
Charles (Charlie) Wieder DentGOP rep warns of ‘consequences’ for US standing in Africa after ‘s---hole’ remark GOP angst over midterms grows House Republicans press for harder-line immigration bill MORE (R-Pa.), a moderate immigration reformer, said ultimately GOP leaders will be forced to bring a vote on a DACA fix, whether it meets the standards of the Hastert rule or not.“I always love it around here. We’re all for the majority of the majority –– until we’re not,” Dent, clad in a Philadelphia Eagles jacket, told reporters.
“At some point there’s going to be a bipartisan Dream Act bill, or DACA bill, that’s gonna have to be voted on in the House –– with or without a majority of the majority.
“We’re just gonna have to deal with it.”