WASHINGTON -- Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) predicted on Sunday that the House would pass the Senate's immigration bill, despite Speaker John Boehner's (R-Ohio) repeated insistence that his chamber would pass a reform bill of its own.
"By the end of this year, the House will pass the Senate bill," Schumer said on Fox News Sunday.
Boehner has consistently stressed his plan to stick to the so-called "Hastert rule," which would require support of a majority of his own party caucus, in order to pass immigration. That could produce a much harsher bill than the Senate's legislation.
But Schumer said that dissensions within Boehner's own caucus would leave him with little choice other than to work with Democrats and pass the Senate bill, especially with outside pressure coming down on him.
"He's got a whole lot of Republican members, I'm sure a majority of the caucus, saying they will vote no," Schumer said. "I believe over the next several months that dynamic will change."
But Rep. Trey Gowdy (R-S.C.), who sits on the House Judiciary's Subcommittee on Immigration Policy and Enforcement, laughed off Schumer's suggestion when he appeared later on Fox News Sunday.
"I was moved almost to the point of tears by Sen. Schumer's concern for the future prospects of the Republican party. But we're going to not take his advice," he said. "The Senate bill is not going to pass in the House, it's not going to pass for myriad reasons."
Gowdy said the House will pass its own bill in pieces, and that it would be much tougher on enforcement and border security than the Senate bill.
"We're making progress and we will continue to do so," he said. "I'm more interested in getting it right than doing it on Sen. Schumer's schedule."
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