Reform on the verge of collapse?

Comprehensive immigration reform is being stalled by Speaker Boehner. Let's bypass Boehner by turning up the heat on members of Congress and demanding that they introduce the Senate bill and support a discharge petition. Will you make this an August to remember by taking action and ensuring we pass comprehensive immigration reform? Yes, I'll sign up!

Dear MoveOn member,

House Speaker Boehner is the only thing standing in the way of comprehensive immigration reform.

Since the bipartisan Senate bill passed with overwhelming support in June, Speaker Boehner has been stalling, content to let the ultra right-wing members of the GOP decide immigration's fate.¹ It shouldn't come as any surprise, since, back in 2007, another immigration bill was bitterly fought for, only to die at the hands of the predecessors to today's tea party.² 

Fortunately, there is a way to bypass Boehner and force moderate Republicans to choose whether or not they want to stand with the extreme right of the GOP, or the majority of Americans who believe that our broken immigration system needs to be fixed right now. 

A "discharge petition" is the best option for passing comprehensive immigration reform. Here's how it works:

1. Any member of Congress can introduce the bipartisan Senate immigration bill into the House.


2. We only need 218 members of Congress to sign the discharge petition—every Democrat, and 17 Republicans.


3. Then, whether or not Speaker Boehner likes it, the bill automatically moves to an up-or-down vote.

Support for a discharge petition is growing amongst members of Congress as the best option for ensuring that comprehensive immigration reform passes this year, and the media is taking notice.³  That's why MoveOn members are taking to the streets during the August recess to make sure that both Democrats and Republicans hear our message loud and clear. Comprehensive immigration reform must be voted on this fall.

Will you join other MoveOn members and take action for comprehensive immigration reform this August? Here's how:

• Start a petition to your representative, calling on them to bypass Speaker Boehner and support a "discharge petition" that will give the bipartisan Senate immigration bill an up-or-down vote in the House. Click here to go to our one-stop-shop for organizing your August recess immigration actions.

• Plan to attend a town hall, district meeting, or other event with your member of Congress, or just plan a drop-by visit to their office, and ask them to take a stand for comprehensive immigration reform. Click here to go to the online action guide.

There are lots of ways to make sure our voices are heard during the August recess and with immigration reform at this critical juncture, we need to act now, and make sure that Congress does everything they can to pass comprehensive immigration reform when they go back this fall—before we lose the opportunity to reform our broken immigration system for another generation.

Thanks for all you do.

–Mariana, Alejandro, Carinne, Eric, and the rest of the team

Sources:

1. "John Boehner Won't Take A Position On Immigration: 'It's Not About Me'," The Huffington Post, July 22, 2013. 
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=292126&id=72975-10220574-gR_sLFx&t=4

2. "Taming the Tea Party on Immigration," National Journal, January 30, 2013. 
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=292128&id=72975-10220574-gR_sLFx&t=5

3. "Democrats divided over immigration strategy," The Washington Post, August 5, 2013
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=292493&id=72975-10220574-gR_sLFx&t=6

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