Reid says immigration reform not on the agenda this work period

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) said Tuesday that immigration reform and a potential Supreme Court nomination wouldn't be on the Senate's agenda this work period.

Reid laid out his hopes for work on jobs legislation, financial regulatory reform, and action on a series of stalled nominees during the seven-week work period before Memorial Day.

"We have a lot of work to do," Reid said during remarks at the Capitol following his party's caucus luncheons. "And we're dealing, everyone has to understand, with a party of no, that they're trying to stop everything."

The majority leader said that the Senate would move forward on a number of stalled nominees "very quickly," echoing Sen. Charles Schumer's (D-N.Y.) threat that the Democrats might keep the Senate in session nights and weekends to break up GOP objections to moving forward with nominations of federal judges and other presidential nominees requiring confirmation.

Reid also said that financial regulation reform, food safety legislation, and a bill to address the Supreme Court's decision in its "Citizens United" case would be on the agenda in the next several weeks.

But Reid also noted that two top priorities would not be on the agenda before Memorial Day: comprehensive immigration reform, and moving forward on a nominee for the Supreme Court.

"We won't get to immigration reform this work period," he said. "We won't get to the Supreme Court justice."

Reid had talked up the prospects of immigration reform during his two weeks of campaigning throughout Nevada, but his words today could tamp down speculation that senators may move quickly on the legislation.