With the Senate's passage of a wide-ranging immigration bill, the legislative focus moves to the House. In contrast to the Senate's comprehensive measure, approved on June 27 by a 68-32 vote, GOP House leaders are going piece by piece, moving bills on various immigration issues through committees.
Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.), one of the bipartisan "Gang of Eight" who played a key role in the bill, called the vote "a giant step forward toward solving our immigration problem today." It has a lengthy path to citizenship for immigrants with illegal status and tougher border security, including a "surge" of 20,000 more U.S. Border Patrol agents. The House may have different views on immigration issues, noted Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), adding, "We are ready to sit down and negotiate."