Struggling to find consensus on immigration reform, the House on Thursday rejected a more conservative Republican immigration reform bill, and then in a bid to salvage the effort, GOP leaders delayed action on a second immigration reform measure until Friday. 41 House Republicans voted against the first GOP bill, which was defeated on a vote of 231-193, as the plan received more votes than most GOP lawmakers had expected. The Republicans who voted against the first GOP bill were a mixture of the Republican Party’s different flanks, featuring more conservative lawmakers who wanted to do more, and moderates who felt it went too far. “This is a difficult issue,” said Rep. Mark Walker (R-NC), who voted for this bill, but wouldn’t tell reporters whether he would support a second measure on Friday. “Any jot or tittle one way or the other, you lose people because of the complexities, because of the sensitivities, and the emotions in this particular piece of legislation,” Meadows said. Here is the list of the 41 Republicans who voted “No.” One of the reasons more moderate Republicans voted against the first bill was because of the lack of a path to citizenship for younger illegal immigrant “Dreamers,” who were brought to the U.S. by their parents. While that is in the bill to be voted on Friday, those provisions then could cause some other Republicans to vote against it, arguing it is nothing but amnesty. “I’m a big fat no, capital letters” said Rep. Lou Barletta (R-PA), after the first vote. “It doesn’t do anything to stop illegal immigration,” Barletta added. BREAKING: House rejects conservative immigration bill with no citizenship pathway for Dreamer immigrants. — The Associated Press (@AP) June 21, 2018 In debate on the House floor, Democrats focused mainly on the more recent immigration battle over the separation of illegal immigrant families, blaming President Donald Trump for doing little to seek compromise. “On this issue, God is going to judge you as well,” said Rep. Michael Capuano (D-MA) said to Republicans who were backing the President’s get-tough effort on the border.

Mail-order weed? You betcha! With marijuana legalization across Canada on the horizon, the industry is shaping up to look different from the way it does in nine U.S. states that have legalized adult recreational use of the drug. Age limits, government involvement in distribution and sales, and access to banking are some big discrepancies. And yes, Canadians will be able to order cannabis online and have it delivered through the mail — something that’s illegal in the United States. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced Wednesday that marijuana will be legal nationwide on Oct. 17. In the meantime, Canada’s provinces and cities are working out issues concerning how cannabis will be regulated.

After months of internal wrangling over how best to deal with illegal immigration, the House is poised on Thursday to debate and vote on two immigration reform bills written by Republicans – but because of fissures inside the GOP – it’s possible both measures may go down to defeat on Thursday afternoon. “This is very good compromise legislation,” said House Speaker Paul Ryan, who was struggling to convince more conservative members of the House Freedom Caucus to back a bill that some GOP lawmakers denounced as “amnesty” for illegal immigrant “Dreamers.” “The failed policies of previous administrations have catered to open border radicals and left Americans less free, less safe,” said Rep. Warren Davidson (R-OH), one Freedom Caucus member reluctant to vote for a more moderate GOP measure. The internal bickering boiled over on the House floor on Wednesday afternoon, when Freedom Caucus leader Rep. Mark Meadows (R-NC) appeared to engage in an angry back-and-forth with Speaker Ryan, during a vote on the House floor. FOX NEWS: Livid Rep. Mark Meadows yells at Speaker Paul Ryan on House floor pic.twitter.com/gYUEQ6Y0wn — Chandrima (@chandrimasonai2) June 21, 2018 With no Democrats expected to back either of the GOP immigration bills – a rupture inside the GOP on these plans will lead to only one thing – defeat. Two measures are on the schedule in the House – the “Securing America’s Future Act,” and the “Border Security and Immigration Reform Act.” The first bill is the more conservative measure, drafted mainly by Rep. Bob Goodlatte (R-VA), the head of the House Judiciary Committee. “I’m a ‘yes’ ‘yes,'” Goodlatte said of how he would vote on both bills. “I want 218 votes.” But the chances of getting a majority on either bill seemed slim – moderates think the conservative bill is too harsh, while conservatives think the more moderate measure doesn’t do enough. The measures delve deeply into a number of subjects, how to treat illegal immigrant DACA “Dreamers,” reform the asylum system, a host of changes in interior immigration enforcement laws, ending the diversity visa lottery, reforms for temporary agricultural workers, measures to address so-called “sanctuary cities,” more aggressive efforts to return unaccompanied children and other migrants, and much more. The Goodlatte bill runs 414 pages – the other plan backed by Rep. Jeff Denham (R-CA) and Rep. Carlos Curbelo totals 299 pages. The House debate comes a day after a rare retreat by President Trump on the issue of immigration, as he announced a hastily drawn executive order, designed to stop the forced separation of illegal immigrant families. But Democrats said while the order stopped children from being taken away from their parents, it left many questions unanswered. “The president’s order does not solve this problem”,” said Sen. Bill Nelson (D-FL). “It does nothing to reunify the 2,300 children who have been taken from their parents.” “As a country, we are better than this! Separating children from their parents,” said Rep. Al Lawson (D-FL) Make no mistake: Today’s executive order fails to address or end this moral crisis. It merely replaces the unacceptable evil of family separation with the unacceptable evil of child detention. https://t.co/eNPDcNhokM — John Lewis (@repjohnlewis) June 20, 2018 Republicans also chided the White House. “It is about time the Administration takes action to address this issue, but more needs to be done,” said Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart (R-FL). “I want to make sure this practice is ended, unequivocally, and I strongly believe we still must take legislative action.” “The President did the right thing by signing an executive order to keep families together at the border,” added Rep. Vern Buchanan (R-FL). But despite all the talk, nothing on that seems likely to make it through the Congress anytime soon – as a possible double defeat for the GOP in the House on immigration reform seemed a strong possibility. And it was obvious that a visit by President Trump on Tuesday night to the Capitol had done little to unify Republicans, as the President took another jab on Wednesday as Rep. Mark Sanford (R-SC), after mocking Sanford during the GOP meeting. “I have never been a fan of his!” the President said of Sanford on Twitter. House Republicans had front row seats to @POTUS’s dazzling display of pettiness and insecurity. Nobody applauded or laughed. People were disgusted. https://t.co/FvmDCxElgv — Justin Amash (@justinamash) June 20, 2018 “This was a classless cheap shot,” said Rep. Justin Amash (R-MI).

The Wagoner County Election Board just opened another early voting center that could help 20,000 voters get to the polls early. The new spot is at Heritage United Methodist Church on 71st between Evans and Oneta Road.  Wagoner County Election Board Secretary Samantha Call says the center will serve tens of thousands of voters that live within seven miles of the church. Heritage will open this Thursday and Friday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.  Voters can also vote early at Wagoner County Election Board. Regular polling locations will be opened from 7am to 7 pm on June 26.

Under growing pressure from lawmakers in both parties, President Donald Trump on Wednesday signed an executive order that would allow illegal immigrant families detained by U.S. border authorities to remain together in many situations, ending an outcry over forced separations which took young children from their parents. “I didn’t like the sight or the feeling of families being separated,” the President told reporters in the Oval Office, as he signed the new plan, which was drawn up as more and more Republicans publicly said Mr. Trump’s border crackdown had become a PR nightmare. “The border is just as tough, but we do want to keep families together,” the President told reporters, as he repeatedly emphasized that an early May “zero tolerance” prosecution policy for those caught crossing the border illegally would continue. It was that Trump Administration change which resulted in families being separated in recent weeks, spurring multiple news stories about young children, taken hundreds of miles away from their parents. President Trump signs an executive order to stop the family separation policy at the US-Mexico border: “We are going to keep the families together. I didn’t like the sight or the feeling of families being separated” https://t.co/LPwcGScxq4 https://t.co/0Eq4JsKT5Z — CNN Politics (@CNNPolitics) June 20, 2018 The signing represented a rare retreat for the President on any controversial policy during his administration; in recent days, top officials had repeatedly said there was no requirement that families be separated, but under current federal law, that option was triggered when parents of the kids were prosecuted, under the ‘zero tolerance’ plan. “We have to have strong borders, and ultimately it will be done right,” the President declared. Mr. Trump had tried in recent days to place the blame on Democrats in Congress, saying his hands were tied on the matter of family separations, as top officials said the law left them no leeway for change. “What about executive action?” the President was asked during an impromptu press conference with reporters on the White House driveway last Friday. “You can’t do it through an executive order,” Mr. Trump replied. But that’s what he ultimately did. Trump just signed an executive order to end the policy of separating families at the southern U.S. border. “We’re going to have a lot of happy people” #tictocnews pic.twitter.com/snSEiINKyw — TicToc by Bloomberg (@tictoc) June 20, 2018 The President’s move came amid a growing firestorm of criticism in Congress from members of both parties in the Congress, stirred by stories of young children taken away from their parents. “This must stop NOW,” tweeted Rep. Justin Amash (R-MI), as he noted a story from his home state, where an 8-month old baby had been brought, after being taken from her parents. This must stop NOW. Only one person has the power to do so while Congress works through legislation: @POTUS @realDonaldTrump. https://t.co/1FWCuJMB1f — Justin Amash (@justinamash) June 20, 2018 “He can sign an executive order today,” said Sen. Bill Nelson (D-FL), who was blocked on Tuesday from visiting a group of detained children at a federal facility in Homestead, Florida. “This shameful chapter in American history lies with the President and his pen,” Nelson said, arguing the President started these separations, and should halt them. “We must stop the madness, and stop it now,” said Rep. John Lewis (D-GA). “America is weakened in the eyes of the world,” added Rep. Hank Johnson (D-GA). “This is a policy straight from the pit of hell,” said Sen. Bob Casey (D-PA). There's nothing in the law that requires children be taken from their parents. There's nothing in the law that requires them to rip an infant from a parent's arms. The decision to enact this shameful policy was a decision made by this administration and this administration alone. pic.twitter.com/8RKeBz9E6g — Senator Bill Nelson (@SenBillNelson) June 20, 2018 GOP leaders also made clear they wanted the Trump Administration to change course. “As I said last week, we do not want children taken away from their parents,” said House Speaker Paul Ryan, as he urged GOP lawmakers to unite behind a pair of immigration bills which are expected to be voted on Thursday. But while the Speaker and other Republicans said provisions in those bills would fix the family separation matter – those plans would not advance through the Senate – making it unlikely that Congress could anything done on the family separation matter. That left the President with just one option – an administrative reversal on something that he had fiercely stood behind the effort. President Trump: 'We're looking to keep families together. It's very important. We're going to be signing an executive order.' Full video here: https://t.co/WcckQSGazb pic.twitter.com/Z9aPBmazg2 — CSPAN (@cspan) June 20, 2018 The change on illegal immigrant families came in early May, when Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced a “zero tolerance” policy dealing with those illegally coming over the southern border. “Today we are here to send a message to the world: we are not going to let this country be overwhelmed,” Sessions said in that May 7 speech.