Roll Call: Latest News on Capitol Hill, Congress, Politics and Elections
January 1, 2016

Boehner Suggests He Won’t Cave to Conservatives on ‘Cromnibus’ (Video)

Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, attends a news conference after a meeting of the House Republican Conference in the Capitol, December 2, 2014. (Photo By Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call)

Boehner . (Photo By Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call)

As conservatives push back against a bill to fund the government past Dec. 11, Speaker John A. Boehner signaled Thursday that he didn’t expect to make any sizable changes to the so-called “cromnibus” in order to placate voices to the right.

“I expect that we’ll have bipartisan support to pass the omnibus,” Boehner told reporters Thursday, in response to a question on whether the Ohio Republican anticipated needing some Democratic votes to pass the bill, and whether that would give Democrats leverage on negotiating riders in the appropriations bill.

Conservatives are bashing the cromnibus — which would fund all elements of government until October except the Department of Homeland Security, which would be funded until March or February — because it does not block President Barack Obama’s executive action on immigration.

Just before Boehner took the podium during his weekly press conference, Heritage Action, an influential outside conservative group, announced they would “key vote” against the cromnibus unless it contained language to stop Obama’s “unlawful amnesty program.”

Boehner pledged to fight Obama’s executive action “tooth and nail.” Asked on Thursday just how sharp those teeth and nails are — if Republicans were really doing enough to stop the president — Boehner didn’t seem eager to give in to conservatives.

“We think this is the most practical way to fight the president’s action,” Boehner said. “And, frankly, we listened to our members. And we listened to some members who, frankly, were griping the most. This was their idea.”

While legislative language of the cromnibus has not been released, members know the broad strokes. And Boehner suggested Thursday that there wouldn’t be major changes to the legislation that’s already been laid out to the GOP conference.

“I think we’ve laid out a reasonable course of action, suggested by our members,” Boehner said.

“Frankly, I’m pretty comfortable with where we are,” he added, seeming to refer to whether the House had the votes to pass such a plan.

GOP leadership contends Republicans will be in a better position to fight the president’s executive action come January, when Republicans take hold of the Senate. But it remains unclear just how Congress could stop the executive action without defunding the Department of Homeland Security.

Asked how Republicans might actually block the executive action, Boehner said there were “a lot of options on the table.

“And I’m not going to get into hypotheticals into what we could or couldn’t do,” Boehner said, “but I do know this: Come January, we’ll have a Republican House and a Republican Senate — and we’ll be in the stronger position to take actions.”

But Boehner also said there were “limited options in terms of how we can deal with this,” and many Republicans believe that by not blocking the president’s immigration action, Republicans are condoning it. And by giving in now, in December, it makes it less likely that Republicans will fight the action later, in February or March.

Still, leadership insists there are ways to punish the president for his immigration order. One such idea was to not invite Obama to give a State of the Union Address. Boehner, however, didn’t seem to like that idea.

“The more the president talks about his ideas, the more unpopular he becomes,” Boehner said. “Why would I want to deprive him of that opportunity?”

 

Related:

Labrador: Shutdown Didn’t Hurt GOP, Why Take It Off Table?

House GOP Floats Multi-Pronged Approach to Avert Government Shutdown

Boehner: ‘House Will Act’ in Response to Obama’s Immigration Orders

GOP Still Fuzzy on Strategy to Block Obama’s Immigration Move

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The 114th: CQ Roll Call’s Guide to the New Congress

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  • kyrunner

    It appears the GOP leadership can’t do anything until they also have the Presendency. I believe they can forget about a GOP victory in 2016 if they don’t STOP Obama’s illegal executive action now. It appears excuses is always answer so that means Obama will get another 10 months to add more debt to America and to push his Obamacare and amnesty plans to fruition. As usual the Progressives and inside the beltway GOP will get what they want which is more POWER over the people. Even in January when the GOP takes over Congress they don’t have the spine to take on the Progressives because they really want the same things to occur. I am sick to death of Boehner and it is time for him to be removed from the Speaker position. As long as he is in power Obama and the Progressives will get what they want and Conservatives will be shut out of the process. Sorta sounds like the past 6 years doesn’t it!

    • votemout2010

      Boehner and any other representative who votes for the cromnibus is complicit in Obama’s unconstitutional actions. We have zero representation in DC.

    • teedofftaxpayer

      They can do what they want in January, but for the most part President Obama has VETO powers and there is no way the Teapubs can override the veto.

      • DrGeneNelson

        Obama has to go on record as being the “Party of NO” when he vetoes important legislation. Those actions will help the Republicans during the 2016 elections.

        • http://none.com Jack Everett

          The party of no is the gop 6 year gold game.

    • Beeker

      if they don’t STOP Obama’s illegal executive action now. It appears
      excuses is always answer so that means Obama will get another 10 months
      to add more debt to America

      It is within the parameter of the law that gives the President the authority to do his job remember the executive branch enforces the law that has been passed by Congress. There has not been any update in the law for many years and blaming Obama will not change it.

      It is obvious that you have not noticed that the deficit is much lower than when he assumed office in 2010. All that will be undone after the House voted H. J. Res. 766 that gives the tax breaks that expired in 2013 into 2015. The Senate is expected to go along with it next week. Come January, more tax breaks will come down the pike undoing the deficit reduction.

      • johnblack45john

        When was it ruled illegal?

  • Layla

    Nice work, Mr. Boehner. Until you step down, I am a registered Independent.

  • Wuthie

    If they want to do something about Immigration all they have to do is pass the bipartisan bill the senate sent to them months ago, instead of holding it up doing nothing as usual.

    • Layla

      Actually, all they had to do was see that current law was enforced. Until the steady flow across the border is stopped, the American people will continue to vote people OUT of Congress.

      • Wuthie

        Don’t count on it Layla, 90% of those were voted back in office. Even have the same party leader. Expect more of the same in reverse.

        • Layla

          You are missing the record number voted out…highest since WWII. They will be MANY more in 2016.

          • Wuthie

            Many of those retired and it doesn’t change the fact that 90% are still in office with the same leaders. The report I read said, the Republican have their biggest majority since WWII. That doesn’t mean that was the most legislators voted out of office since WWII. How many of your Representatives in Florida changed? None of my did.

            If the people really wanted change then there would have been more than 36% of Americans voting. 64% of Americans don’t care enough to vote.

      • Beeker

        Until the steady flow across the border is stopped.

        What kind of fantasy land you live in? It is next to impossible to stop the flow unless you create a police state. We have spent millions to get the walls set up to prevent it and yet people continue to get around it.

  • godblessusa

    Here’s a radical notion:

    Rather than continuing to block, obstruct and oppose immigration reform legislation, why doesn’t the GOP contribute constructively to reforming a system that all agree is broken.

    Propose solutions. Offer ideas. Pass legislation.

    Just a thought…

    • Layla

      Good idea, but first secure the borders and enforce CURRENT LAW. THAT is why the people have NO FAITH in our government. None.

      Just a thought.

      • godblessusa

        There is no such thing as “secure the borders.” That’s fantasy, as anyone involved – Republican or Democrat – will tell you.

        “Enforce current law” means mass deportations, which, likewise, is fantasy, as anyone involved – Republican or Democrat – will tell you.

        Immigration is a real conundrum for the GOP.

        • Layla

          Live in your own fantasy land, if you prefer. And take an honest poll if you think I am wrong.

          Americans support deportation and SECURE BORDERS and will never agree to anything else.

      • DrGeneNelson

        There is a powerful means to enforce U.S. immigration law which is to make E-Verify applicable to all U.S. employers over a 3 year period. That would turn off the “jobs magnet.” It could also be applied to the “benefits magnet.” Meaningful interior enforcement was supposed to be part of the 1986 amnesty, passed almost three decades ago. The current I-9 process merely serves as a “figleaf” for less-than-ethical employers.

  • http://www.wavevolution.org/ Ettore Greco

    One single thought should fill the days of president Obama in his last year in office: free Humankind from the Beast in Texas. From the Kennedy assassination up until 9/11 one hidden hand from Texas is ruling unchallenged all over this Country and the next presidential elections will extend its reach all over the World.
    Obama should demand as soon as possible a new and thorough investigation of 9/11.
    A World War has already been planned and with Jeb Bush, the next US president, this War will be inevitable and also come by surprise.
    ……….
    All that is happening in our days is the prelude to enormous changes but even before discussing in regard of the possible remedy one must be clear about how we came to this point recognizing both physiognomy and origin of the threat.
    Since George H. Bush was CIA director, the US secret State agencies had played a double role to finally get to where we are today when every person is constantly monitored by NSA and other agencies not to report the information to the US Government but to feed with all data the embryo of a new superpower still kept hidden. In brief, here is how it came to possess all means and to know everything of everyone.

    In 1988 the ex CIA director was elected president although this was a US president like no other. His attention quickly turned to Saudi Arabia and Kuwait from where he personally benefited immensely in exchange for the protection of those tyrants and their oil while in the United States instead the president observed his son, Neil, to be the author of the largest robbery of its time, the “Savings and Loans” scandal. After a few years, the next largest robbery in history was Enron that financed the electoral campaign for his other son, George. Once he also became president, the son plotted the most infamous attack on US soil, 9/11, to begin the widest monitoring program ever conceived and to consolidate for 8 years the interest of one family above all. The day before 9/11 the Bush administration announced missing 2.3 trillion dollars from the US State Department. It could not provide any explanation and was never again discussed following the events of 9/11. That is still today the largest robbery in history.

    In our days, a group of Zionists, like a hidden parallel government, with George Bush still today at the head of secret services in the US, UK and Israel, is the destabilizing force behind most terror events and with classified information at disposal and a private army is plotting what now would seem unthinkable to many. The spokesman for this group in the US Congress is John Mc Cain who reports the given orders weighing on the US administration. Incredibly, his picture taken with the chief of ISIS was recently discovered ….. but with no consequence for the Senator since he is the one in charge of the Intelligence Committee.

    Not the protests or violence in the streets could ever oppose such threat to the whole Humankind.

    There is one Solution.
    That begins with your disregard for the media and their pundits and most of all for their disingenuous misguidance of the public opinion calling the obvious evidence a “conspiracy theory”.
    How could anyone still believe the story of Osama bin Laden?

    http://www.wavevolution.org

    • http://none.com Jack Everett

      Jeb Bush will never see the white house even by invitation. A major war is coming soon regardless of who is in the white house, the corporations have already decided the issue.

  • http://www.ChadEdwardHattenEatsShit.com/ ChadEdwardHattenCyberCriminal

    It amazes me that Boehner has not already resigned now that he will be on the Koch retirement plan with the XL Pipeline going through. His pockets will be lined with dirty cash for life. What does he need the White House for, a place to get drunk daily?

    • http://none.com Jack Everett

      Bohener will be like Walmart, a store on every street corner but with Bohener it will be a bar on every street corner and liquor will no longer be taxed.

      • jh14220

        I see that you are posting stupid comments again.

        • Layla

          When is he not?

          • jh14220

            Your comment gave me a good laugh. Thanks for posting it :-)

    • jh14220

      And you don’t think Harry Reid has enriched himself at the expense of the citizens of Nevada? Corruption is wide spread in both parties. Term limits would help; getting private money out of elections would help a lot more.

  • teedofftaxpayer

    They all blame President Obama because of the Immigration policy, but the real blame lands on Bonehead’s shoulders. If he had done his job instead of 51 votes against ObamaCare, President Obama wouldn’t have had to do it. So the TP’s can just cry a river.

    • Layla

      TPS? A lot of Democrats lost seats over this issue. The GOP are going to suffer the same fate in 2016. The war with the people must end.

      ENFORCE the law.

  • dmfarooq

    Speaker Boehner owes it big time to Dems in the House for their votes , once again to pass a bipartisan spending bill . Contrary to Boehner ‘s pledge to fight Obama’s executive action “tooth and nail.” ! Speaker Boehner failed to create bipartisan support in the House on many important national issue , with the exception of two year spending bill in 2013 . The Affordable Care Act. , for cost cutting , operational efficiency and regulatory reforms , and bipartisan immigration reforms bill passed by the Senate almost 18 month ago . Sen. Cruz with 40 – 50 Tea party House members would force government shut down , again by leading from behind . If the GOP House establishment leaders , refuse to reconcile with their extremists demands . In order to keep GOP majority Caucus united , the party needs to elect a new competent Leader / Speaker in the next Congress .

    • http://none.com Jack Everett

      So what king of spending bill hands more billions to the military industrial complex and throws our troops and vets in the gutter?

  • DrGeneNelson

    During the Barbary Pirate War when the U.S. had just become a nation, the slogan was “Millions for defense, but not one cent for tribute!” The message on Friday to Speaker Boehner needs to be, “Not one cent for Amnesty!” When I called his phone line at (202) 225-0600 on Thursday I found it was very busy. Keep calling!

  • http://none.com Jack Everett

    Alcoholic Bohener the Koch sock puppet would rather see America fail than do his job.
    The gop created this homeland security terrorism and now all they do is yap about it.
    Democrats own the 2016 election and will take control of congress and keep the white house.

    • Layla

      Socialism and government overreach in 2016? I wouldn’t hold my breath, Jack. Democrats as well as many in the GOP are likely to cease to exist in the Congress.

  • drdaveo

    The Cromnibus doesn’t stop the executive order and it hurts homeland security. Delaying about $50 million/day of security priorities. See the whole list here: https://medium.com/homeland-security/the-cromnibus-b6356ee0bb78

  • Beeker

    Asked how Republicans might actually block the executive action, Boehner said there were “a lot of options on the table.
    “And I’m not going to get into hypotheticals into what we could or
    couldn’t do,” Boehner said, “but I do know this: Come January, we’ll
    have a Republican House and a Republican Senate — and we’ll be in the
    stronger position to take actions.

    The only thing Speaker Boehner has is nothing. Despite taking the President to court, he won’t get far largely the courts will view this as a spat between the Executive and Legislative branches. Even then McConnell and Boehner need a super majority to override the threatened veto.

  • colt triarii

    Our Founding Fathers risked their lives to give us freedom
    in the Declaration of Independence:

    “We mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes, and our Sacred Honor”

    Now, our Republican leadership, Boehner and McConnell, quake at defunding illegal, unconstitutional tyranny????

  • colt triarii

    this is NOT a test of President Obama

    he is a tyrant who will abuse until stopped politically

    Indeed, President Obama admitted repeatedly and publically before he did this it was Unconstitutional–he had no authority

    no,

    this is a test of Speaker Boehner,the Republicans, and

    America

  • Ken Martin

    He won’t cave to the conservatives, he will however cave to Obama and Donahue of the Chamber of Commerce.

  • Pouting Thomas

    John Boehner is actually complaining about Obama thumbing his nose at the American people on immigration, as he plans to stab us in the back himself! There is no way that John Boehner really believes that Americans want massive immigration and demographic change, whether it is legal, illegal or through guest workers. What a traitor! Is it too much to ask that he would have a massive stroke?

  • testyTexan

    Jeez, if you can’t make the call to defund Obama’s BS Executive Order, get out of the way and let us get a speaker who will.

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