Reid Supports Administration's Lawsuit Against Alabama

By Adrianna McGinley

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) released a statement Monday in support of a group of twelve lawmakers who traveled to Alabama this week to see first-hand the effects of the state’s anti-immigration law, HB 56.

“The concern I’ve always had from the first time I heard about this Alabama legislation is it would create without any question racial profiling and that is something that we just don’t stand for in this country,” Reid said.

The controversial law has sparked several lawsuits against the state, including a federal investigation by Attorney General Eric Holder.

Reid expressed support for the administration’s investigation and urged Republicans to stand with Democrats on the issue.

“Our immigration is broken, but we cannot fix it with a patchwork of fifty different immigration laws,” Reid said. “Instead of supporting divisive laws such as Alabama’s, Republicans should stop obstructing comprehensive immigration reform and work with us to achieve a real solution.”

Since the implementation of the law there have been reports of people fleeing the state, which has led to farms and local businesses reporting a loss of workers and customers, loss of crops, increased absentee rates in schools, and foreign investors losing confidence in Alabama’s economy.

Carney Doesn't See Job Growth In GOP Jobs Plan

By Mike Hothi

White House Press Secretary Jay Carney criticized Republicans today for not putting forward a plan that would help create jobs.

“It is unfortunate but true that though the Republicans have put forward economic plans, they have not put forward a plan that would in any way have a measurably positive impact on economic growth or job creation over the next 12 to 18 months,” Carney told reporters aboard Air Force One.

The Senate Republican plan Carney was referring to includes a combination of tax cuts, a moratorium on new regulations, an end to restrictions on off-shore oil exploration, a repeal of President Obama’s healthcare law and a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution.

But Carney remains optimistic that the Senate will take up the President’s jobs bill. “We are confident that Senator Reid will be able to say something about the scheduling of a vote in the relatively near future.”

Last week, Senate Democrats failed to get enough votes to move Obama’s jobs bill to a final vote. Now, it looks as though the Senate will break up the bill and vote on it piece by piece. The first component that could see action would involve keeping public educators on the job.

“That is our expectation, that the first measure will be teachers,” Carney said.

That measure, valued at roughly $35 billion, would also help states keep first responders on the job.

Reid On GOP: They Talk The Talk, Can't Walk The Walk

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) said Thursday that Republican lawmakers talk the talk, but don’t walk the walk when it comes to creating jobs.

“My Republican colleagues certainly pay lip service to the unemployment crisis in this country, but in the end actions speak louder than words,” Reid said.

Reid blasted lawmakers who opposed the president’s jobs plan and argued that they join the majority of Americans who support the provisions included in the legislation.

“Americans couldn’t care less who proposed the plan or who gets the credit,” Reid said. “The only thing they care about is that Congress gets to work putting them back to work.”

House Passes Week-Long Spending Bill

The House approved a Senate-passed spending measure Thursday to prevent a government shutdown. 

The bill, which only funds the government through next Thursday, was passed via unanimous consent, a procedure that does not require members to be present. 

The House is scheduled to return to Washington next week when members will take up a second Senate-passed spending measure that will fund the government through mid-November. 

The threat of a shutdown stemmed from controversy over how much funding the Federal Emergency Management Agency would receive. However, after FEMA announced it did not need the billions in funding Democrats were calling for, Republicans dropped the provision that included DOE spending cuts. 

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Reid And Boehner Hold Unannounced Meeting

CNN reports that current House Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV.) and soon to be Speaker of the House John Boehner (R-Ohio) held an unannounced meeting in Reid’s office Wednesday.  According to CNN, aides for both lawmakers have said that neither would provide information about what was discussed.