Senate to Debate DACA Next Week

Immigration

As Congress moves ahead with a budget deal without immigration language for the second time in three weeks, the Senate is preparing to begin debate next week over finding a solution for DACA recipients with what Senate Majority Mitch McConnell (R-KY) describes as "an amendment process that will ensure a level playing field at the outset."  In a rare procedural situation, deliberations will not be focused on any preexisting DACA-related bill as a starting point, but rather with a "shell bill" that does not include immigration-related language.  On Friday morning, McConnell filed cloture on H.R. 2579, which will serve as the tabula rasa for negotiations.  On the House side, Speaker Paul Ryan (R-WI) promised that after passing a budget deal the next priority of the House will be DACA deliberations, though with a different procedural approach than the Senate's.  He stated, his intention to only bring legislation to the floor that the President will sign.  "I don’t want to just risk a veto.  I want to get it right the first time, and I think we can get there.  I’m confident we can bring a bipartisan solution to the floor that can get signed into law and solve this problem,” Ryan said.