WASHINGTON -- Members of the Senate "gang of eight" met with pro-immigration reform business, agriculture, faith and conservative groups on Tuesday to discuss plans for moving a comprehensive bill forward in the House, where many Republicans have vowed not to touch it.
They distributed a list (see below) of 121 Republicans whom they see as persuadable on immigration reform. Groups in attendance included Republicans for Immigration Reform, the Mark Zuckerberg-founded FWD.us, the faith group Sojourners and others, according to a source with knowledge of the meeting. The list largely aligns with the targets of other reform groups.
Seven members of the group that crafted the Senate immigration bill were present: Sens. John McCain (R-Ariz.), Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.), Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) and Michael Bennet (D-Colo.).
Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) decided not to attend, said spokesman Alex Conant.
"We have a badly broken immigration system that is in dire need of reform, and Sen. Rubio worked hard to produce and pass the best proposal possible in a Democrat-controlled Senate," Conant said in an email. "The Senate's work has created an important opportunity for the House to advance reform further, but they should be given deference to decide their own way forward."
After the gang of eight bill passed 68 to 32 in the Senate with "aye" votes from 14 Republicans, it's been met with little interest -- and some hostility -- from House Republicans, many of whom say its legalization measures are a deal-breaker. Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) has said he will not bring the Senate bill to the floor because a majority of his conference opposes it, and he will instead pursue piecemeal legislation.
Pro-reform groups hope they can put pressure on Republicans to come around to the idea of comprehensive reform, particularly using allies in the faith, business and conservative communities.
View the full list of GOP targets:
Alabama:
Spencer Bachus
Alaska:
Don YoungArizona:
Trent FranksArkansas:
Steve WomackCalifornia:
Doug LaMalfa
Paul Cook
Jeff Denham
David Valadao
Devin Nunes
Kevin McCarthy
Buck McKeon
Gary Miller
Ed Royce
John Campbell
Darrell IssaColorado:
Scott Tipton
Cory Gardner
Mike CoffmanFlorida:
Steve Southerland
Ron DeSantis
John Mica
Daniel Webster
Gus Bilirakis
Bill Young
Vern Buchanan
Tom Rooney
Trey Radel
Mario Diaz-Balart
Ileana Ros-LehtinenGeorgia:
Doug CollinsIdaho:
Raul LabradorIllinois:
Peter Roskam
Rodney Davis
Randy Hultgren
John Shimkus
Adam Kinzinger
Aaron SchockIowa:
Tom LathamKansas:
Kevin YoderLouisiana:
Steve Scalise
Rodney AlexanderMichigan:
David Camp
Fred Upton
Candice MillerMinnesota:
John Kline
Erik PaulsenMississippi:
Alan NunneleeMissouri:
Ann Wagner
Blaine LuetkemeyerNebraska:
Jeff Fortenberry
Lee TerryNevada:
Mark Amodei
Joe HeckNew Jersey:
Frank LoBiondo
Jon Runyan
Chris Smith
Scott Garrett
Leonard Lance
Rodney FrelinghuysenNew Mexico:
Steve PearceNew York:
Peter King
Michael Grimm
Chris Gibson
Richard Hanna
Tom ReedNorth Carolina:
Renee Ellmers
Walter Jones
Howard Coble
Robert Pittenger
George HoldingOhio:
Steve Chabot
Jim Jordan
Robert Latta
John Boehner
Michael Turner
Pat Tiberi
David Joyce
Steve StiversOklahoma:
Jim Bridenstine
Frank Lucas
James Lankford
Tom ColeOregon:
Greg WaldenPennsylvania:
Glenn Thompson
Jim Gerlach
Patrick Meehan
Michael Fitzpatrick
Thomas Marino
Charlie Dent
Joe PittsSouth Carolina:
Trey Gowdy
Mick MulvaneyTexas:
Ted Poe
Sam Johnson
Joe Barton
John Culberson
Kevin Brady
Michael McCaul
Mac Thornberry
Randy Weber
Bill Flores
Lamar Smith
Pete Olson
Blake Farenthold
John Carter
Pete SessionsUtah:
Rob Bishop
Jason ChaffetzVirginia:
Rob Wittman
Scott Rigell
Randy Forbes
Bob Goodlatte
Eric Cantor
Frank WolfWashington:
Jaime Herrera Beutler
Doc Hastings
Cathy McMorris Rodgers
Dave ReichertWisconsin:
Paul Ryan
Jim Sensenbrenner
Sean Duffy