WASHINGTON, D.C. /California Newswire/ — Today, every Republican on the House Budget Committee placed themselves on record as being against Comprehensive Immigration Reform. U.S. Rep. Tony Cárdenas (D-San Fernando Valley), a member of the House Budget Committee, presented an amendment in that committee to create the economic infrastructure to pass and implement H.R. 15, the House version of Comprehensive Immigration Reform. The debate and vote on the amendment were the first in the House of Representatives regarding comprehensive reform.
Before each Republican voted against comprehensive reform, Cárdenas called on his colleagues to recognize the $900 billion in deficit savings created by reform, as well as the 120,000 American jobs that would be created each year.
Cárdenas then called on supposed reform advocate and Chairman of the committee, Paul Ryan, who has toured the nation to tout his support for comprehensive reform, “Would you commit to support Comprehensive Immigration Reform and ask Speaker Boehner to bring H.R. 15 to the House floor?”
Chairman Ryan, leaning back derisively in his chair, simply said, “I’m not getting into that one.”
While fellow Republicans sat on the dais giggling, Republicans then struck down the Cárdenas amendment by a party line vote, 21-15.
“Make absolutely no mistake, this was a vote on Comprehensive Immigration Reform and because of the obstruction of my Republican colleagues it might be the only one we get,” said Cárdenas, following the vote. “My colleagues who voted for this amendment and those who voted against it must be held accountable for their votes.
“Finally, we have had a chance to put Members of Congress on the record. They voted for or against supercharging our economy, saving $900 billion dollars and helping bring 11 million people out of the shadows. I am crushed that partisan politics played a bigger role than rising to the challenge of fixing our broken immigration system.”
