McConnell considers ‘immigration alternative’

By The Iowa Statesman

 

Ever the poker player when it comes to what he will or won’t do with pending legislation, U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) is now leaning toward offering an alternative to the House-approved Department of Homeland Security funding bill that would pulled out the 2014 immigration enforcement provisions as a separate bill.

According to Niels Lesniewski of RollCall.com, Democrats again filibustered the bill yesterday, the fourth time they have done so. Senate Republicans could only muster 47 votes to end the filibuster — 13 short of the number required to invoke cloture — which left the GOP leadership looking at other options.

“It isn’t tied to DHS funding. It removes their excuse,” McConnell said on the Senate floor.