President Barack Obama endorsed the Senate’s immigration bill as it heads to the floor out of the Judiciary Committee, the Associated Press reported Wednesday.
The AP reported that Obama “says a far-reaching immigration overhaul approved by a Senate panel is largely consistent with his own principles.”
“He says the bill meets the challenge of fixing a broken U.S. immigration system,” the AP added.
The AP noted, too, that Obama is urging the full U.S. Senate to move on the immigration bill as fast as possible. “Obama says he hopes the bill will still be improved,” the AP wrote. “He’s applauding the bipartisan Senate group that crafted the bill, which creates a path to citizenship for millions living in the country illegally.”
When the bill passed the Senate Judiciary Committee on a 13-5 vote Tuesday evening, with “Gang of Eight” Republicans Sens. Lindsey Graham and Jeff Flake as well as GOP Sen. Orrin Hatch joining all the Democrats on the committee, amnesty advocates in attendance began shouting Obama’s campaign slogan in English and then in Spanish in the middle of the committee.
“Yes we can!” they shouted, then, “Sí se puede!”
Committee chairman Sen. Pat Leahy (D-VT) appeared to revel in the Obama campaign chants overtaking his committee. “I will pretend, I will pretend to ask for order,” Leahy said with a smile. Leahy then invited all the pro-amnesty advocates in attendance to approach the senators still in the room so they could partake in the celebration together. “Come on up, everyone,” Leahy said.