Boehner says Congress may address immigration next year if Obama avoids executive action, Pelosi tells him to ‘get serious’

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Echoing earlier remarks by Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), Speaker of the House John Boehner (R-Ohio) told talk radio host Hugh Hewitt on Tuesday that Congress could address immigration reform next year if conditions were right.

However, he warned that Congressional action would be contingent on President Obama abstaining from addressing immigration via executive order.

“I would hope that the president would continue to follow the law, and begin to take steps that would better secure our border,” he said. “It would create an environment where you could do immigration reform in a responsible way next year.”

Boehner said in July that the House would not take up immigration reform this year and pointed to a lack of overall confidence in Obama’s willingness to follow the law as the reason for Republican hesitation. He said that for Congress to reopen the immigration debate they would need to be reassured of Obama’s willingness to work within the bounds of law.

“I did outline that, you know, there’s a possibility that Congress could take this issue up next year,” Boehner said. “But if that were going to happen, there are things that he should do, and things he should not do as we lead up to this.”

Boehner’s remarks were met with hostility on the other side of the aisle. The Hill reported that House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi’s (D-Calif.) office replied by telling Boehner to “get serious.”

“Speaker Boehner has a long history of breaking his promises on immigration,” Pelosi’s office said.