Schumer Thinks Senate Needs More than 60 Votes for Immigration to Push House to Act

Just breaking up an expected GOP filibuster of immigration legislation may not be enough. Sen. Chuck Schumer, one of the architects of the bipartisan immigration overhaul, said on Thursday that backers of the legislation?can?t afford passage barely above the filibuster-proof margin of 60 senators if they want to force the hand of the GOP-led House.

?If we were to pass this bill with say over 50 Democratic votes, which I do think is possible ? it has widespread support on the Democratic side ? and only 8 or 9 Republican votes. It would pass. We?d get to 60,? said Schumer, a New York Democrat. ?But it would bode poorly for the House.?

Schumer, appearing alongside immigration co-sponsor?Republican Sen. John McCain of Arizona at a breakfast sponsored by the Christian Science Monitor, said, ?It would be wonderful if we could get a majority on both sides [of the aisle].?

?Very doable,? chimed in McCain.

Speaker Boehner and House Republicans have largely played the waiting game in the 113^th?Congress on both immigration and guns, hoping the Senate bogs down in partisan disputes and fails to pass any meaningful new laws. It?s worked so far on guns. To goad the House into action on an immigration measure, Schumer suggested decisive margins would be necessary.

McCain and Schumer, two Senate old-timers, were jovial with one another on Thursday, as McCain waved off a scrambled egg breakfast while Schumer eagerly sought out refills on his coffee. They interjected and finished off one another?s sentences like an old couple.

When Schumer proclaimed that ?a majority of Republicans support? a path to citizenship, McCain interrupted. ?As long as,? McCain said. Schumer completed the thought. ?There?s a path. You earn it.?

Asked about President Obama?s performance in the immigration talks, Schumer said, ?He was terrific. Just about perfect.? McCain jumped in: ?I wouldn?t go that far.?

They both agreed that the cooperative path they ? and the rest of the immigration Gang of Eight ? were plowing could help set an example for their colleagues on other issues.

?There?s a different mood in the Senate,? Schumer said, predicting ?this session is going to be a lot more productive than the last few.?

?Which is not a high bar,? added McCain.

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Source: http://news.yahoo.com/schumer-thinks-senate-needs-more-60-votes-immigration-113457446--politics.html

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