Boehner Shifting Burden to Senate

House Speaker John Boehner has a new strategy when it comes to taking the lead on new legislation: let the Senate do it. On everything from changing gun regulations to overhauling the immigration system, Boehner is adopting a “Senate first” policy.

Rather than struggle to wrangle votes within a divided House, the tactic puts the onus on the upper chamber to reach a consensus among lawmakers with mid-term elections on their minds, Politico reports.

Indeed, so far this session the House has not done much beyond allowing a temporary rise in the debt ceiling, pass legislation to provide relief aid to states hit by Hurricane Sandy and pass a bill calling on President Barack Obama to set a deadline for balancing the budget.

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Sen. Roy Blunt, R- Mo., a member of the Senate GOP leadership, told Politico it makes little sense for the House to continue pushing bills— and endure the political backlash — only to see them stall in the Senate.

“My guess is that the House got tired of leading with its chin and has decided that the Senate is not going to get its work done,” he said. “They have taken positions on almost every issue. And again, why continue to just lead in the direction that goes nowhere?”