Reid would not specify whether he thought a gun control measure or an immigration bill should advance first, leaving that determination to Leahy.
“We have one of the most senior members of the Senate who is chairman of that committee. He can do both. He can do both issues. And he’s going to do both issues. And we’re going to treat both issues the same way,” Reid said. “The Republicans — and rightfully so — feel better about bills that go through the committee structure. And we’re going to do that on immigration. We’re going to do it on violence, guns. Also, not only do Republicans feel better, so do we.”
That would represent just the first step in achieving Democratic leaders’ goal of passing an immigration bill by summer.
“Once it gets to the floor, I have made a commitment, and I’m telling everyone here, we’re going to have an amendment process. I don’t know how long it will take, but we’ll take a lot of time, because there will be a lot of important issues that will be brought up. There will be a lot of discussion brought up. We may have to have a number of votes on different amendments in a different number of procedural ways,” Reid said. “But we’re going to have a legislation done in the Senate the way that it’s supposed to be done.”
Rep. Bill Cassidy has his blood drawn by Alesha Barbour during a free hepatitis screening in the Rayburn House Office Building hosted by the Congressional Viral Hepatitis Caucus to recognize "National Viral Hepatitis Testing Day."
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