Boehner Backtrack? Now Says Immigration Conference Report Must Have Majority GOP Backing

House Speaker John Boehner said Thursday that any immigration legislation -- including a House-Senate compromise -- must have majority House Republican support in order to pass.

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It's slightly different from what Boehner (R-Ohio) said last week, after he vowed to adhere to the so-called Hastert Rule in bringing immigration legislation to the House floor, but appeared to give himself an out when asked about bringing a conference report merged from House and Senate bills.

"For any legislation -- including the conference report -- to pass the House, it's going to have to be a bill that has the support of a majority of our members," Boehner told reporters Thursday. Last week, he said "we'll see when we get there" about the conference report, which is the compromise legislation worked out after the House and Senate pass their own bills.

Boehner has faced public opposition from members of his caucus sounding the alarm over immigration legislation they say will mean amnesty for illegal immigrants. He told lawmakers in a closed-door meeting Wednesday that the House will only take up a bill that reflects the will of the majority -- comments he reiterated Thursday.

"We're going to do our own bill, through regular order, and it'll be legislation that reflects the will of our majority and the will of the American people," Boehner said. "If immigration reform's going to work, it's essential that the American people have the confidence that it's being done correctly. That's how the House will approach this issue."

The Senate is set to vote on final passage of its immigration bill Thursday at 4 p.m.

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