WASHINGTON -- House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, acknowledged Tuesday that Republicans have experienced a "couple of stumbles" on abortion and border security bills that have triggered disagreement among rank-and-file GOP members.
The setbacks, Boehner said, were "all in our effort to show the American people that we are here to listen to their priorities."
Boehner said Republicans "wanted to get off to a fast start this year and, as a result, have taken bills that have passed in the past and put other bills together in spite of the fact that the committees, in many cases, have not had their organizational meetings."
A bill that would have banned abortions after the 20th week of pregnancy was derailed after moderate Republicans voiced concerns about the legislation last week. And a border security bill that had originally been scheduled for a vote this week has run into resistance from some conservative members.
The House is in an abbreviated workweek. The border bill, originally scheduled for a vote today, is no longer on the schedule as a result of Monday's votes being pushed back because of a blizzard then bearing down on the Northeast.
"I think there was an informal whip that's been going on over the last few days, and I don't think it went the way they wanted it to go," said Rep. Matt Salmon, R-Ariz.
Asked whether the weather was used as an excuse for putting off the vote, Salmon replied, "God bless the weather."
Boehner would not provide a specific timeline for bringing the bill to a vote.
"When we're ready to move, we will," he said.
As Republicans grapple with how to respond to President Barack Obama's executive actions on immigration, Boehner told a meeting of rank-and-file Republicans on Tuesday morning that he is putting the finishing touches on a plan to pass a resolution authorizing legal action against the president over immigration.
"We are finalizing a plan to authorize litigation on this issue -- one we believe gives us the best chance of success," he said, according to a source in the room.
National Journal first reported Boehner's plans.
The House passed a bill this month to fund the Department of Homeland Security that strips spending for Obama's immigration actions. But the bill is likely to be met with stiff resistance by Democrats and moderate Republicans in the Senate, leaving Republicans with little time to craft an alternative plan before department funding runs out Feb. 27.
A lawsuit could be one avenue that satisfies conservative members. But if it doesn't, GOP leaders could be left scrambling to find an alternative plan as the deadline for Homeland Security funding approaches.
Responding to Democratic criticism that he should not have invited Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to address a joint meeting of Congress, Boehner offered no apologies.
"The House of Representatives is an equal branch of the government. We had a right to do it, and we did it," the speaker said.
A Section on 01/28/2015