House Republicans are making changes to a conservative immigration reform proposal in an effort to round up enough votes to pass it, perhaps as soon as this month.
Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., told The Weekly Standard’s Steve Hayes “we have another week or so to go” to whip up support for the bill, which in original form is one of the most conservative immigration reform and border security measures in Congress.
“We are making changes to the bill,” Ryan told Hayes at the the Midwest Conservative Summit. “We are trying to get 218 to bring it to the floor.”
Ryan said the votes “are not there yet,” which is why the leadership is making changes.
“What we are doing is meeting with members to see where that constellation of 218 exists,” Ryan said. “We are in the thick of that right now.”
The Goodlatte bill provides a legal remedy for so-called “Dreamers” by letting them remain in the United States, but no pathway to citizenship, in exchange for new border security funding. Goodlatte’s plan would create a guest worker program, reduce legal immigration by 25 percent and require employers to use the e-verify system to ensure they hire legal residents.
Ryan did not say specifically when the House could vote. Lawmakers are not in session this week.
