Bush Lobbies for Immigration Bill

President pushes fellow Republicans to push legislation
By Marie Morris,  Newser Staff
Posted Jun 12, 2007 3:28 PM CDT
Bush Lobbies for Immigration Bill
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell of Ky., second from left, accompanied by, from left, Sen. Jon Kyl, R-Ariz., with Senate Minority Whip Trent Lott of Miss., and Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, R-Texas, make remarks to the press on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, June 12, 2007 following a luncheon...   (Associated Press)

President Bush took the unusual step of climbing Capitol Hill today to pressure members of his own party on the stalled immigration bill. After a lunch meeting with GOP senators, CNN reports, the president warned that passing the signature legislation of his second term will take "a lot of effort"—as will persuading 15 senators to change their votes.

Jeff Sessions sounds unlikely to be one of the 15; the Alabama Republican said the president "needs to back off." But Mitch McConnell estimated that the bipartisan bill is "85% through," and Harry Reid said 80% of Democrats support the legislation, which would open the door for 12 million immigrants to go from illegal to legal status. (More immigration reform stories.)

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