Immigration Reform 2014: Schumer Suggests House Democrats Use Rare Tactic To Force Vote

Senator Chuck Schumer, a Democrat from New York and key member of the Senate’s “Gang of Eight” on immigration reform, is trying to use some creative thinking to get a bipartisan compromise passed. Last week, Schumer suggested that House Republicans, who have signaled they won’t move on the issue this year amid pressure from conservative groups and members, could get around their distrust of President Obama by passing a reform now which wouldn’t go into effect until Obama left office. On Thursday, the New York Times reported that Schumer has floated another way of circumventing House GOP leadership.

In an email statement to the paper, Schumer referenced a Washington Post op-ed published on Tuesday which proposed that lawmakers who support action on immigration reform should use a discharge petition – a little-used measure by which a majority of representatives (218 in total) can sign their name to a petition and force a vote on legislation. “The idea that’s begun circulating, to do a discharge petition on immigration reform in the House, is a good one and I would urge House Democrats to take it up,” Schumer said. “It’s clear a majority of the House supports immigration reform. A minority faction has scared Republicans out of acting even though large parts of the Republican base, including business and religious groups, support the bill, making a discharge petition an appropriate remedy.”

House GOP leadership dismissed the idea, which would require at least a dozen votes from Republican members in addition to the whole of the Democratic caucus. Michael Steel, spokesman for House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio), told the Times it had “zero chance of success”, saying “a clear majority in the House understands that the massive Senate-passed bill is deeply flawed.” Steel added that Boehner would continue to push a “step-by-step” reform, despite recent comments in which the speaker expressed doubt that the idea had suitable support among his party’s members.