The White House on Thursday warned that House Republicans would be held accountable in November for opposing a Senate bill that would grant legal status to illegal immigrants.
“They pay a heavier political price for failing to act than for acting,” White House Press Secretary Tony Snow told reporters.
His comments came just hours before the Senate passed an immigration bill that the White House called “comprehensive” because it would strengthen borders and create a guest-worker program for illegal immigrants.
Before such a bill could become law, it would have to be reconciled with a House bill, passed in December, that bolsters border security, but does not legalize aliens.
“I don?t think members of the House realize that the other parts of this comprehensive package are important,” Snow said. “And a question they?re going to have to ask themselves is: Do we really want to oppose comprehensive reform?”
Although many House Republicans are vowing to block a guest-worker program, Snow predicted their opposition would melt.
“Quite often at the beginning of these negotiations people stake out hard positions,” he said. “And then over time, as they hear from constituents or they hear from people at the White House, as they begin to reflect on things, sometimes those positions soften a bit.”
The White House has been trying to soften up House Republicans since last week, when Bush began dispatching his top political strategist, Karl Rove, to Capitol Hill for closed-door lobbying sessions.
Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., said such lobbying must continue because opposition remains strong among House Republicans.
“The word we?ve heard from House leadership is not encouraging,” he said on the Senate floor Thursday.
Reid called for “the active involvement of the president” in securing a final bill.
“His biggest work is ahead of him if he wants comprehensive immigration reform.”
