The Senate Judiciary Committee approved a new immigration reform bill, sending it to the Senate floor for a debate expected to last through June.
The panel, with all ten Democrats and three Republicans voting in favor, approved the measure by a vote of 13 to 5.
The legislation would put 11 million current illegal residents on a path to citizenship and strengthen security along the Mexican border, according to Reuters. If approved by Congress, the bill would enact the first serious immigration policy reform since 1986.
Both Senate party leaders support the bill’s suggested reforms, though there was intense debate over an amendment that would cause Republicans to abandon their support.
Democratic Senator Patrick Leahy of Vermont had sponsored an amendment that would allow citizens to sponsor their foreign same-sex partners for permanent residency, according to the New York Times.
Under pressure from New York’s Democratic Senator Charles Schumer, who is also one of the authors of the bill, Leahy agreed to withdraw the amendment in order to garner more support for the bill. Though President Obama and Democrats widely supported the amendment, Republicans have said they would not support the bill if the amendment were added.
Before officially withdrawing the amendment, Leahy affirmed his belief in his amendment: “I’m committed to ending that discrimination.”
Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell, though not disclosing if he plans on voting for or against the bill, commented that Republican Utah Senator Orrin Hatch’s changes “made a substantial contribution to moving the issue forward,” according to Reuters.