House Speaker John Boehner may be preparing to clean out the barn, but an immigration reform bill will not be among the items swept out before he retires on Oct. 30.
Boehner, R-Ohio, acknowledged on Sunday that he plans to tie up some loose ends before leaving his post next month, so as not to leave “a dirty barn” for his successor.
“I expect that I might have a little more cooperation from some around town to try to get as much finished as possible,” Boehner said Sunday on CBS.
The comment elicited excitement from groups hoping Boehner would use his remaining time to move a comprehensive immigration reform bill to the House floor after years of stalled attempts. But that task will be left to the next House speaker, his aides said.
“As the speaker has said repeatedly, the president’s illegal executive action poisoned the well on reform, and we don’t expect anything to change that fact over the next month,” Boehner spokeswoman Emily Schillinger said.
Boehner has said for months he would not take up immigration reform because of Obama’s move to legalize thousands of immigrants through executive action, which Republicans believe is illegal. Boehner told reporters Tuesday his impending departure won’t alter his decision-making.
“I’m not going to change my process at all,” Boehner said. “I spend every day trying to do the right thing for the right reasons.”
Boehner’s efforts to tidy up the House before he leaves are likely to include fiscal matters mostly. The House this week is expected to vote on a short-term funding measure that will keep the government operating until Dec. 11. House lawmakers are also advancing legislation that would repeal parts of the Affordable Care Act and defund Planned Parenthood through the reconciliation process, which would make it easier for Senate Republicans to pass it with just 51 votes.
