Farm Bureau, Western Growers back immigration reform as Ros-Lehtinen endorses Democratic House bill
October 30, 2013 | 03:14 PM
Nearly 60 members of the American Farm Bureau Federation and Western Growers President and CEO Tom Nassif participated Tuesday in efforts to convince Congress to pass immigration reform legislation this year.
The nearly 60 Farm Bureau members and leaders came from 14 states and held more than 150 meetings with members of Congress or their staffs on Tuesday, Farm Bureau said in an news release.
“Immigration reform is critical for the agricultural industry,” said AFBF President Bob Stallman.
“Many farmers rely on an immigrant labor force and without reform, growers will begin to plant less labor intensive crops or go off shore.”
“Simply put, either we import our labor or we import our food,” said Stallman.
Nassif was one of the speakers at a three-hour Americans for Reform rally sponsored by the Partnership for a New American Economy and the Bibles, Badges and Business for Immigration Reform network at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.
Nassif said in an interview that he met with House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte, R-Va., and House Majority Whip Kevin Nunes, R-Calif.
He said he also met with Rep. Jeff Denham, R-Calif., the first Republican to announce his support for a Democratic bill that would incorporate the Senate-passed comprehensive immigration reform bill with some changes, and with Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Calif., about his proposed bill, which would provide legal status for six years to undocumented immigrants in the United States.
“There is a chance they are going to get something done, it may not be until the end of the year, maybe in December,” Nassif said after the meetings, but added, “the Republicans don’t see the urgency the way we do.”
Nassif, a former Republican ambassador and political appointee, said, “We need to get it done before next year’s primaries.”
On the positions of individual members, Nassif said Goodlatte told him he is open to the growers’ suggestions, “but there are several areas on which we disagree and we are having trouble getting past that. We are looking for creative ways.”
Nassif added that McCarthy said that if the Democrats insist on the Senate bill, they will fail. But Nassif also said he believes Pelosi is promoting the Democratic bill as a way to bring pressure on the Republicans to act.
Nassif said he remains optimistic because “This has to get done. Both parties know it. It is it is just a question of time and never giving up.”
Meanwhile, Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, R-Fla., became the second House Republican to endorse the House Democratic comprehensive immigration reform bill.
The bill’s chief sponsor, Rep. Joe Garcia, D-Fla., announced the news on Twitter.
“It’s important to keep the conversation going in trying to fix the broken immigration system,” Ros-Lehtinen said in a statement provided to The Hill.
“I favor any approach that will help us move the negotiations forward,” she said. “Other members may soon produce a bipartisan product that may also deserve support and I'm cautiously optimistic that we can pass meaningful immigration reform.”
And, Sen. Marco Rubio, who helped write the Senate’s comprehensive immigration reform bill, has shifted back to his original position that piecemeal legislation is the way forward, the Tampa Bay Times reported.
The nearly 60 Farm Bureau members and leaders came from 14 states and held more than 150 meetings with members of Congress or their staffs on Tuesday, Farm Bureau said in an news release.
“Immigration reform is critical for the agricultural industry,” said AFBF President Bob Stallman.
“Many farmers rely on an immigrant labor force and without reform, growers will begin to plant less labor intensive crops or go off shore.”
“Simply put, either we import our labor or we import our food,” said Stallman.
Nassif was one of the speakers at a three-hour Americans for Reform rally sponsored by the Partnership for a New American Economy and the Bibles, Badges and Business for Immigration Reform network at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.
Nassif said in an interview that he met with House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte, R-Va., and House Majority Whip Kevin Nunes, R-Calif.
He said he also met with Rep. Jeff Denham, R-Calif., the first Republican to announce his support for a Democratic bill that would incorporate the Senate-passed comprehensive immigration reform bill with some changes, and with Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Calif., about his proposed bill, which would provide legal status for six years to undocumented immigrants in the United States.
“There is a chance they are going to get something done, it may not be until the end of the year, maybe in December,” Nassif said after the meetings, but added, “the Republicans don’t see the urgency the way we do.”
Nassif, a former Republican ambassador and political appointee, said, “We need to get it done before next year’s primaries.”
On the positions of individual members, Nassif said Goodlatte told him he is open to the growers’ suggestions, “but there are several areas on which we disagree and we are having trouble getting past that. We are looking for creative ways.”
Nassif added that McCarthy said that if the Democrats insist on the Senate bill, they will fail. But Nassif also said he believes Pelosi is promoting the Democratic bill as a way to bring pressure on the Republicans to act.
Nassif said he remains optimistic because “This has to get done. Both parties know it. It is it is just a question of time and never giving up.”
Meanwhile, Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, R-Fla., became the second House Republican to endorse the House Democratic comprehensive immigration reform bill.
The bill’s chief sponsor, Rep. Joe Garcia, D-Fla., announced the news on Twitter.
“It’s important to keep the conversation going in trying to fix the broken immigration system,” Ros-Lehtinen said in a statement provided to The Hill.
“I favor any approach that will help us move the negotiations forward,” she said. “Other members may soon produce a bipartisan product that may also deserve support and I'm cautiously optimistic that we can pass meaningful immigration reform.”
And, Sen. Marco Rubio, who helped write the Senate’s comprehensive immigration reform bill, has shifted back to his original position that piecemeal legislation is the way forward, the Tampa Bay Times reported.
