Immigration Politics: Iowa Congressman, Steve King to lead committee governing immigration policy

From the hinterlands of Iowa, not good news. Note how he ties Democrats' willingness, in the lame duck session , to extend the Bush tax cuts to whether or not there will be any cooperation of Republicans with Democrats in the new Congress. He seems to be saying that if the Democrates submit to Republican desires on the tax cute, things will go better. 

King to lead committee governing immigration policy: "Congressman Steve King will become the chairman of the U.S. House subcommittee on immigration when Republicans take over control of the House in January. King, who is from Kiron in western Iowa, was reelected last week to a fifth term in congress.

King says he’ll resist any effort to offer “amnesty” to those who’ve entered the country illegally. King also plans to use his authority to block the bipartisan “Dream Act.”

Before the new members of the U.S. House and Senate are sworn in, though, there’s going to be a “lame duck” session of congress yet this year to act on a variety of proposals. King says if Democrats agree to extend all the Bush-era tax cuts — even those for top income-earners — that may be a sign of things to come in 2011 when Republicans take over the House.

“If it turns into a battle and we end up having a fight instead of accomplishing something for the American people when everybody that understands free enterprise knows we have to extend the Bush tax cuts, if that can be accomplished in a lame duck session it sets a really good tone for the 112th congress coming up,” King says. “If it can’t, it would be an indicator, I think, that it’s going to be a battle all the way.”" Nov. 8, 2010, Radio Iowa