Hearings to precede immigration bill conference negotiations

In a move that probably will delay passage of an immigration bill until after the August recess and darken its prospects for the year, House Republican leaders on Tuesday announced a plan to hold field hearings around the country to solicit opinions on border security and immigration issues.

GOP leaders said the hearings, which would mostly take place in August, would allow them to hear from constituents before negotiating with the Senate, which adopted an immigration bill much broader than the House's border-security measure.

"We want to make sure, before we send our chairmen into that room, that they have heard from the American people," House Speaker Dennis Hastert, R-Ill., told reporters Tuesday after leaving a meeting that included committee chairmen and other House leaders.

Conferees have not met on reconciling the two bills, and the two chambers have spent the time firing warning shots. The House GOP leaders variously described the sessions as opportunities to evaluate the Senate bill, get advice on what policies are needed, gauge the will of the American people, and better explain the House bill.

"This will clearly create the kind of information we need to move ahead and solve this problem," Majority Whip Roy Blunt, R-Mo., said. In addition to the substantive differences, the Senate bill raises "blue-slip" problems because it includes tax provisions, which must originate in the House.

While Senate Democratic and Republican leaders figure out how to overcome the problem, House Republicans said they would seek advice on what the bill should include. House Homeland Security Chairman Peter King, R-N.Y., said the hearings would take place in Washington and in districts around the country.

House leaders also reiterated their plan to focus on border security and delay broader immigration questions until after the borders are secure. That flies in the face of President Bush's call for an immigration package that includes a guestworker plan and giving some illegal immigrants a chance at citizenship.

The Senate plan includes those provisions. "The bottom line is first things first," said Chief Deputy Majority Whip Eric Cantor, R-Va., calling secure borders an "absolute prerequisite" to further immigration policy changes.

Delaying conference until after the August recess means negotiations would begin with a backdrop of election-year activity, when passing bipartisan legislation would be even more difficult. The hearings themselves also could present political opportunities, giving Republicans a chance to highlight a tough line on border and national security. National Republican Congressional Committee Chairman Thomas Reynolds of New York, though, said the issues are not necessarily important in every race.

"There's not the same resonance in each of those districts," he said. Initial reaction from one of the chief authors of the Senate plan was positive. Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., a proponent of a comprehensive approach, today said he supports the House plan to hold hearings on the Senate bill. "I think it's fine," McCain said. "It gives us an avenue to try to reach an agreement."