Boehner Refuses to Take Stand on Key Immigration Provision

Reuters
July 21, 2013

Boehner pauses during remarks to reporters in a news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington

House of Representatives Speaker John Boehner refused on Sunday to say whether a comprehensive immigration overhaul should include a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants, declaring that the House debate is “not about me.”

Boehner, appearing on CBS’s “Face the Nation,” dodged repeated attempts to get him to spell out his personal views on a path to citizenship for up to 11 million illegal immigrants now in the United States, a major point of contention between the House and the Democratic-led Senate.

“It’s not about me, it’s not about what I want,” said Boehner, an Ohio Republican. “This about allowing the House to work its will.”

The Senate has passed a sweeping, bipartisan immigration bill that includes a pathway to citizenship, which Republican opponents have called an “amnesty” that would reward lawbreakers and attract more illegal immigrants.

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