Immigration Reform 2013: Senate Votes 82-15 To Advance Gang Of Eight Bill

A comprehensive immigration reform bill passed the first step of the legislative process today in the Senate, with senators voting 82 to 15 to take up debates over the bill. The 82 votes in favor of the motion surpassed expectations, garnering the vote of all 54 senators in the Democratic caucus and 30 out of the 45 Republicans. The legislation will now pass into consideration by the full Senate, which may also make amendments to it. Senate Majority Harry Reid says he hopes to file a motion to pass the legislation before the July 4^th Congressional recess. 60 votes will be required during the next cloture vote for it to clear the Senate.

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Among the 15 votes against the motion to proceed to debate was that of Senator Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa). Breitbart.com writes that Grassley rarely votes down procedural measures, which means that Grassley intended his vote to register resounding opposition to the bill. Other Republicans who voted to move it to the next phase don't necessarily agree with what it looks like, however. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), for example, was one of the 82 votes, though he has made clear in recent weeks that he believes the legislation is in need of changes, including border-security enforcement measures should be explicitly bound to the path to citizenship offered to millions of the nation's estimated 11 million undocumented immigrants. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell also indicated that he would need to see tougher border security provisions before he could get fully behind the legislation.

"I'll vote to debate it, and for the opportunity to amend it," said McConnell, a Kentucky Republican. "There will need to be major changes to this bill if it's going to become law."

Bloomberg reports that Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, a Nevada Democrat, commented that if Republicans have proposals for improved border security, the Senate should "take a look at it".

Besides Grassley, other Republicans who voted against the cloture motion were John Barrasso, John Boozman, Mike Crapo, Ted Cruz, Mike Enzi, Chuck Grassley, James Inhofe, Mark Kirk, Mike Lee, Jim Risch, Pat Roberts, Tim Scott, Jeff Sessions, Richard Shelby, and David Vitter.

The vote came after President Barack Obama delivered remarks on the legislation in which he portrayed it as extending an "arduous" path to citizenship for many of the nation's undocumented and emphasized the unprecedented provisions for beefing up surveillance and apprehension efforts along the border with Mexico.