Jobs

Angry House Dems Request Pre-Speech Meeting With Obama

Brian Beutler | September 6, 2011, 6:40PM

Rep. Raul Grijalva

The chairs of the Congressional Progressive Caucus and of the three caucuses of black, Hispanic and Asian members of the House would like a word with President Obama before his Thursday jobs address.

In a Tuesday letter provided by a source, the leaders, who speak for a majority of House Dems, sought to make sure that Obama keeps his eye on the jobs crisis, which has disproportionately hit minority groups.

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Immigration

DREAM Dashed? Dems Divided Over Bill To Give Green Cards To Undocumented Students

Christina Bellantoni | July 27, 2010, 6:11PM

Democrats had until recently been keeping alive the possibility of considering a comprehensive immigration reform measure this year, but now that they acknowledge it isn't politically possible, the party is fracturing over whether to tackle a smaller portion of the problem in the form of the DREAM Act.

Officially titled the Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors Act, the bill has been discussed for years as a reasonable change that members from both parties can get behind. In short, the Dream Act would allow a conditional permanent residency for students who graduate from high school and earn or are on track to earn a college degree. It would help potentially millions of illegal immigrants who were brought here illegally by their parents as young children and attended schools in the U.S. all their life.

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Immigration

Graham To Obama: Give It Up On Energy And Immigration, Already!

Christina Bellantoni | June 30, 2010, 8:27AM

Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC)

As President Obama mounts a new effort to simultaneously push two major domestic policy initiatives -- immigration reform and energy legislation -- that seem politically impossible before the fall elections, one Republican has a bit of advice: Go small.

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) said Tuesday that Obama should do a "smaller version" of the energy measure that he worked on with Sens. Joe Lieberman (I-CT) and John Kerry (D-MA) and return to the issue next year. (Graham bailed on that working group in April.) As for immigration, Graham thinks securing the border first is the only option for beginning a productive debate, and suggested that a post-election measure doing that will set up Congress to consider a comprehensive bill with a pathway to citizenship next year.

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Health Care

Key Dems Get Face Time With Obama On Health Care

Christina Bellantoni | March 4, 2010, 12:44PM

President Obama with his advisers in the Oval Office.

The White House added something new to President Obama's schedule today - meetings with key members of House Democratic caucus groups who want to have their say on health care.

The conservative Democrats Obama is attempting to woo - several who attended his party last night - to win the needed votes on the final health care plan this month will get to speak with the president in the Oval Office at 2:30.

They are all leaders of the New Democrat Coalition. As we mentioned earlier the group's Health Task Force Co-Chair Rep. Jason Altmire told reporters today he won't change his mind.

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Health Care

Democrats Considering Health Care-Immigration Deal To Overcome Key Sticking Point

Christina Bellantoni | January 4, 2010, 1:15PM

Sign warning drivers of pedestrian crossing in Southern California along U.S.-Mexico border.

Lawmakers who want to extend health coverage to illegal immigrants will not block the passage of the final health care reform bill so long as the White House offers a substantive promise to start pushing comprehensive immigration legislation this year.

Democrats who want a comprehensive bill that reforms immigration law but also offers a pathway to citizenship have threatened to vote against health care if illegal immigrants aren't included in the new system, making immigration one of the sticking points as Democratic leaders negotiate the final details.

Democratic leadership aides believe that a firm White House promise of a comprehensive immigration bill will be enough to quell any House dissent.

TPMDC sources have been telling us that members won't admit it publicly but they are ready to concede on immigration in the health care bill. Political aides in the White House have told key parties in Congress that President Obama wants to see a bill this year, and negotiations are under way for how it would be written.

A source familiar with the negotiations between Congress and the White House told TPMDC the Congressional Hispanic Caucus will demand an agreement from Obama that health care coverage for illegals who earn a path to citizenship will be addressed in an immigration bill.

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Health Care

Hispanic Caucus Warns Obama On Immigration Language In Health Care Bill

Christina Bellantoni | November 6, 2009, 10:50AM

Rep. Nydia Velazquez (D-NY)

Roll Call is reporting (sub. req.) this morning that Congressional Hispanic Caucus Chairwoman Nydia Velázquez (D-NY) is unhappy with potential language about illegal immigrants not being covered under the health care plan.

The newspaper reports Velázquez warned President Obama yesterday that 20 members of her caucus will vote against the final bill if that language is included.

In their current forms, the Senate version of the bill blocks illegal immigrants from getting coverage, the House bill does not.

"He listened to us and he knows where we stand," Velazquez said, according to Roll Call. "We made it very clear that we support the language that is in the House. We expect that the current language will not change."

We've checked in with her office and with the White House and will update readers when we know where this stands.

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Health Care

Obama Meeting With Progressives, Key Caucus Leaders: 'Productive'

Christina Bellantoni | October 30, 2009, 9:10AM

President Barack Obama in Roosevelt Room

President Obama last night spent about an hour with leaders of several key Democratic caucuses talking about health care.

TPMDC waited to talk to members as they left the evening meeting, but it got started late so leaders of the Progressive, Black, Hispanic and Asian Pacific American caucuses hurried out instead of speaking to reporters.

A senior administration official tells us this morning:

It was a productive meeting that lasted for about an hour. The President congratulated the members on working so hard to get a meaningful reform bill put together in the House. They talked about strategies for ensuring choice and competition, expanding coverage, controlling costs, ensuring that minority health is addressed, and discussed the road forward.