News · Press Release

Boehner Tries to Appease Tea Party Behind Closed Doors

 Republican Speaker John Boehner and the rest of the Republican caucus met today behind closed doors to try and avoid beginning the 2016 cycle with a government shutdown.

“Keeping the government open is the most basic of responsibilities Congress is tasked with, but House Republicans already have proven that they care more about fighting ideological battles than actually governing,” said Rep. Ben Ray Luján, chair of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. “In all likelihood, Boehner will cave to the Tea Party wing of his party and give them some red meat stunt votes or more lawsuits against the President in exchange for keeping the government open. The fact that we even need to have this conversation is a condemnation of House Republicans’ ability to do their jobs – and their refusal to work on an immigration solution.”

‎In fact, more than 500 days after a bipartisan immigration compromise passed the Senate, House Republicans aren’t holding hearings on a solution they could support – but are instead grandstanding about President Obama in a House Judiciary Committee meeting today.

 

BACKGROUND:

 Republicans Holding Two Hearings Today on Executive Actions Instead of Working on Solution. “Outraged House Republicans are using two hearings Tuesday to blast President Obama’s action to protect up to 5 million undocumented immigrants from deportation and allow them to work legally in the USA… Some Republicans have raised the possibility of withholding funds to carry out Obama’s order, but others fear that could lead to a government shutdown right before Christmas. GOP leaders also have talked about filing a lawsuit against the administration to challenge the constitutionality of Obama’s action… Obama took action after it became clear that the House was not going to pass legislation this year to overhaul the nation’s troubled immigration system. The Senate passed a sweeping, bipartisan bill last year, but House leaders said they preferred to pass a series of smaller, step-by-step measures. However, the House GOP caucus split over how to proceed, and no significant immigration bills were ever taken up.” [USA Today, 12/02/14; House Judiciary hearing, 12/02/14]





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