Cannon Says New Majority Leader in House Will ‘Play to Win’ for U.S.

By Josh Loftin and Lisa Riley Roche Deseret Morning News

With new leadership in the U.S. House of Representatives, at least one Utah congressman expects federal lawmakers to get back on track.

Rep. Chris Cannon, R-Utah, said that he supported newly elected House Majority Leader John Boehner, R-Ohio, because he will “play to win, instead of trying not to lose.” That is especially true on burdens, such as Medicaid and immigration, that have become increasingly difficult for states to shoulder while waiting for solutions from Congress.

“With this change in leadership, you will see a fundamental change in approach,” Cannon said during speeches to the Utah House and Senate Friday. “If we are going to burden the states, we should let the states make the decisions.”

Immigration is a particularly difficult problem, but one that Cannon thinks is close to a resolution thanks to the new leadership. In response to a question from Sen. Howard Stephenson, R-Draper, Cannon told the Senate that Congress should be done with an immigration bill that he expected to be “reasonable” by the end of April.

That bill could call for a guest worker program with penalties for those already here in violation of the law, he said, possibly including a requirement that they leave the country and obtain a visa before they can return. It could also mandate the workers learn English and have health care to take the pressure off hospital emergency rooms.

The failure to deal with immigration “is a black mark on Congress,” he said. “I see a threat to national security on the Mexican border and yet Congress seems to do nothing.”

E-mail: jloftin@desnews.com; lisa@desnews.com