Rep. Reeves’ immigration resolution advances after amendment

The State Local Government Committee on Feb. 4 advanced House Joint Resolution 180, sponsored by Representative Reeves, after adopting an amendment and approving the measure for placement on the calendar and rules. The committee voted 17 ayes and 1 no to move the amended resolution forward.

Representative Reeves told the committee the resolution "simply recognizes that The United States is always welcomed and is indeed a nation of lawful immigrants, but it requires newcomers to contribute by respecting our laws and embracing American values." He said the resolution urges the federal government to "eliminate unnecessary delays, reduce bureaucratic red tape, lower excessive fees for lawful immigrate immigration applicants, and still maintain rigorous security standards." An amendment to the resolution (draft code 5595) was placed on the bill and adopted earlier in the meeting (15 ayes, 1 nay).

Supporters said the resolution aims to press for federal administrative reforms that would make the legal immigration process less burdensome while preserving security standards; Representative McCallman called the system "broken" and thanked the sponsor for raising the issue. The committee took no formal enforcement action beyond the resolution; the committee’s approval sends the amended resolution to calendar and rules for further consideration.

The resolution now moves to the full chamber calendar process; the committee did not set a date for further floor action in this session.