'My job isn’t to try to impose my will on 434 other [House] members,' Boehner says. Boehner: 'Bipartisan' reform only way

Speaker John Boehner dipped his toe back into the public immigration debate Thursday, saying Congress shouldn’t pass a package unless it receives “broad bipartisan support.”

For a man that says nothing about immigration — the central legislative debate of the day — the comment signals that when it comes time to negotiate a deal, he will accommodate both parties.


“In my view, anything as far-reaching, as complex, and as permanent as immigration reform should not be enacted without broad bipartisan support,” he said. “Every day as Obamacare is being implemented, Americans are reminded of what happens when you have big legislation rammed through Congress with minimum support.”

( WATCH: Immigration debate gets heated on Senate floor)

And while the rest of his party maligns the Congressional Budget Office’s report on the economic benefits of immigration reform, Boehner said: “If in fact those numbers are anywhere close to being accurate, it’ll be a real boon for the country.” The speaker said he hasn’t fully examined the report, and asked House Budget Chairman Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) to analyze it.

Still, there’s a lot that’s unknown about Boehner’s view of immigration reform — which is on the Senate floor right now. Asked about whether he supports a pathway to citizenship for the nation’s 11 million undocumented immigrants, Boehner said the question was a “good try.”

( PODCAST: Border security compromise, Hillary Clinton's phone call)

“My job isn’t to try to impose my will on 434 other [House] members,” he said. “My job is to try to facilitate a discussion, and build bipartisan support for a product that will address this broken immigration system that we have.”

Right now, Boehner said the Senate bill’s border security provisions are too weak. But he declined to address the merits of Sen. Bob Corker (R-Tenn.) and Sen. John Hoeven’s (R-N.D.) recent deal to strengthen border security that appears to be attracting swing Republican senators.

( Also on POLITICO: Immigration deal would double Border Patrol)

“If immigration reform is going to work, it’s essential that we have the confidence oof the American people and that it’s done the right way,” Boehner said. “First and foremost, that means confidence that our borders are secure. Confidence that those who came here illegally are not getting special treatment. Confidence that hard-working taxpayers are being respected. And confidence that a majority of both parties have had their say and support the final product.”

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This article tagged under: Immigration

John Boehner