Obama Calls Rubio to Congratulate Him on Immigration Reform

On Friday, President Obama took time out from his trip to Africa to call members of Senate’s so-called “Gang of Eight,” including Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL), to congratulate them on the immigration reform bill that passed the Senate on Thursday in a 68-32 vote. 

Obama was unable to actually reach Rubio. Obama also called Speaker of the House John Boehner (R-OH) to push him to take up the Senate’s immigration reform package.

Jay Carney, White House spokesman, did not say what the president’s strategy would be on dealing with the House over immigration reform. Carney added that the bill “enjoyed substantial bipartisan support in the Senate,” and said that the president would make clear to the House “what our principles are and to provide the significant amount of policy expertise that we have, and data that we have, and to be as helpful to the process as we can.”