(POLITICO) President Barack Obama formally endorsed a long-shot legislative gambit from House Democrats aimed at forcing a vote on comprehensive immigration reform as he blamed House Republicans for stalling an overhaul.
In a three-paragraph statement, Obama said he “applauds” the strategy from Democrats to use a discharge petition in order to get a vote on immigration reform legislation. A successful petition needs 218 signatures – a threshold all but certain to not be reached.
“Immigration reform is the right thing to do for our economy, our security, and our future,” Obama said. “A vast majority of the American people agree. The only thing standing in the way is the unwillingness of Republicans in Congress to catch up with the rest of the country.”
