Arizona Sen. John McCain says it's time to let Chuck Hagel take the top job at the Pentagon, even though he called the defense secretary nominee "the most unimpressive that I've ever seen." 
 
 "No, I don't believe he's qualified, but I don't believe we should hold up his confirmation any further," the Republican senator said Sunday on NBC's "Meet the Press." "I think it's a reasonable amount of time to have questions answered — not two days' worth." 
 
 Senate Republicans blocked Hagel's nomination on Thursday, arguing they needed more time to review his record and past statements. On Sunday, McCain acknowledged that "part" of the concerns with Hagel, a former Republican senator from Nebraska, have to do with the way he previously broke from his party. But McCain said "99 percent" of the concerns have to do with the nominee's past positions and statements on the Middle East. 
 
 
 
 (Also on POLITICO: McCain: No word from Obama on immigration) 
 
 The Senate is expected to take up the nomination when it returns next week from the long Presidents Day recess. 
 
 Read more about: John McCain, Chuck Hagel ||||| Chuck Hagel is disavowing a comment he reportedly made six years ago tying the State Department to Israel, according to South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham. 
 
 Graham announced on "Fox News Sunday" that Hagel sent him a letter saying that he did not recall making the remark in a 2007 speech at Rutgers University. In that speech, the former Republican senator from Nebraska reportedly said the State Department was an adjunct of the Israeli foreign minister's office. Graham, also a Republican, called that alleged remark "disturbing" as critics said it was part of a pattern where President Barack Obama's nominee to be the next secretary of defense has taken stances seen as hostile to Israel. 
 
 But Hagel has furiously sought to rebut criticism over Israel and appears to have done so in his letter to Graham, who had sought clarification. 
 
 
 
 (Also on POLITICO: Rubio: Reported W.H. immigration plan DOA) 
 
 "He did not recall saying that," Graham said of Hagel's letter. "He disavows saying that. ... If that's true, that would end that matter." 
 
 "I will take him at his word," Graham said, "until something else comes along." 
 
 The comments come after Republicans blocked Hagel's confirmation last week in the Senate, claiming they needed more time to review his nomination. The letter indicates that Hagel is continuing to provide information to Senate Republicans, who appear likely to let the nomination be approved when the Senate returns from recess next week. 
 
 On NBC's "Meet the Press," the new White House chief of staff, Denis McDonough, said there is nothing left in documents set to be turned over to Senate Republicans that would hurt Hagel's confirmation prospects. 
 
 Indeed, Graham said he believes presidents deserve "great deference" in their Cabinet picks, but he continued his criticism of his former Republican colleague, who served as Nebraska senator from 1997 to 2009. 
 
 Hagel is "one of the most unqualified, radical choices for secretary of defense in a very long time," Graham said. 
 
 Read more about: Lindsey Graham, Chuck Hagel ||||| New York Sen. Chuck Schumer on Sunday brushed off a leaked immigration proposal by the White House, which Sen. Marco Rubio has called "dead on arrival" in the Senate as the chamber cobbles together a bipartisan bill. 
 
 "I don't know what bill the president has out there. I haven't seen it," Schumer said on CNN's "State of the Union." "But they did say last night — I don't know how it occurred — that it wasn't their final or complete bill. ... I know that Sen. Rubio is upset with the leak." 
 
 The White House bill includes an eight-year path to residency for undocumented immigrants, creates a lawful prospective immigrant visa and calls for more border patrol agents. 
 
 
 
 (Also on POLITICO: Rubio: Reported W.H. immigration plan DOA) 
 
 "I'm not upset," Schumer said after host Candy Crowley asked his feelings about the leak. 
 
 The Democratic senator said he expects to have a bipartisan bill by March, saying President Barack Obama has "given us the space" for a Senate deal. 
 
 Read more about: Chuck Schumer, Immigration, Marco Rubio ||||| The legislation is being developed as members in both chambers of Congress are drafting their own immigration bills. 
 
 Immigration activists in Miami last month. (Photo: Alan Diaz, AP) Story Highlights An administration official said the plan is being distributed to agencies 
 
 Proposal calls for more security funding and status checks 
 
 Illegal immigrants would apply for "Lawful Prospective Immigrant" visa 
 
 WASHINGTON — A draft of a White House immigration proposal obtained by USA TODAY would allow illegal immigrants to become legal permanent residents within eight years. 
 
 The plan also would provide for more security funding and require business owners to check the immigration status of new hires within four years. In addition, the nation's 11 million illegal immigrants could apply for a newly created "Lawful Prospective Immigrant" visa, under the draft bill being written by the White House. 
 
 If approved, they could then apply for the same provisional legal status for their spouse or children living outside the country, according to the draft. 
 
 The bill is being developed as members in both chambers of Congress are drafting their own immigration bills. In the House, a bipartisan group of representatives has been negotiating an immigration proposal for years and are writing their own bill. Last month, four Republican senators joined with four Democratic senators to announce their agreement on the general outlines of an immigration plan. 
 
 One of those senators, Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., said Obama's bill repeats the failures of past legislation and would be "dead on arrival" in Congress. 
 
 "It fails to follow through on previously broken promises to secure our borders, (and) creates a special pathway that puts those who broke our immigration laws at an advantage over those who chose to do things the right way and come here legally," Rubio said. "It would actually make our immigration problems worse." 
 
 The draft was obtained from an Obama administration official who said it was being distributed to various agencies. The official requested anonymity because he was not authorized to release the proposal publicly. 
 
 The bill mirrors many provisions of the bipartisan 2007 bill that was spearheaded by the late Sen. Ted Kennedy, D-Mass., and Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., and ultimately failed. 
 
 In his first term, Obama often deferred to Congress on drafting and advancing major legislation, including the Affordable Care Act. He has openly supported the efforts in Congress to take the lead on immigration legislation, and just this week met with Democratic senators to discuss their proposals. 
 
 But two weeks ago in Las Vegas, while outlining his immigration plans, Obama made clear that he would not wait too long for Congress to get moving. 
 
 "If Congress is unable to move forward in a timely fashion, I will send up a bill based on my proposal and insist that they vote on it right away," he said. 
 
 White House spokesman Clark Stevens said Saturday that the administration continues to support the bipartisan efforts ongoing in Congress. 
 
 With Ellis Island in the background, a group of immigrant rights advocates gathered on Wednesday in Liberty State Park in Jersey City. (Photo: Mel Evans, AP) 
 
 "The president has made clear the principles upon which he believes any common-sense immigration reform effort should be based," Stevens said. "We continue to work in support of a bipartisan effort, and while the president has made clear he will move forward if Congress fails to act, progress continues to be made and the administration has not prepared a final bill to submit." 
 
 According to the White House draft, people would need to pass a criminal background check, submit biometric information and pay fees to qualify for the new visa. If approved, they would be allowed to legally reside in the U.S. for four years, work and leave the country for short periods of time. After the four years, they could then reapply for an extension. 
 
 Illegal immigrants would be disqualified from the program if they were convicted of a crime that led to a prison term of at least one year, three or more different crimes that resulted in a total of 90 days in jail, or if they committed any offense abroad that "if committed in the United States would render the alien inadmissible or removable from the United States." 
 
 People currently in federal custody or facing deportation proceedings also could be allowed to apply for the Lawful Prospective Immigrant visa. Application forms and instructions would be provided in "the most common languages spoken by persons in the United States," but the application and all supporting evidence submitted to the federal government would have to be in English. 
 
 They would also be given a new identification card to show as proof of their legal status in the country. 
 
 The immigrants could then apply for legal permanent residence, commonly known as a green card, within eight years if they learn English and "the history and government of the United States" and pay back taxes. That would then clear the path for them to apply for U.S. citizenship. 
 
 To combat fraud, the draft proposes a new Social Security card be developed that is "fraud-resistant, tamper-resistant and wear-resistant." The Social Security Administration would be required to issue the new cards within two years. 
 
 A major requirement for many Republicans is enhanced border security. The bill calls for an unspecified increase in the Border Patrol, allows the Department of Homeland Security to expand technological improvements along the border and adds 140 new immigration judges to process the heavy flow of people who violate immigration laws. 
 
 It also orders U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to study whether a land-border crossing fee should be implemented to help offset border security costs. The draft also proposes raising many inspection fees that border-crossers already pay. 
 
 The draft bill proposes a new plan to allow Homeland Security to "accept donations" from citizens, businesses and local and state governments to improve ports of entry and security features along the border. And it would require CBP to begin collecting statistics on deaths along the border and report them quarterly. 
 
 The draft also expands the E-Verify program that checks the immigration status of people seeking new jobs. Businesses with more than 1,000 employees must begin using the system within two years, businesses with more than 250 employees within three years and all businesses within four years. 
 
 Homeland Security, working with the U.S. departments of Labor and Agriculture, the attorney general and other agencies, would engage in a $40 million-a-year program to educate business owners and workers about the program. 
 
 Homeland Security also would be required to submit a report within 18 months showing how the worker verification system is working, and specifically explain how it is affecting the nation's agriculture industry, which relies heavily on illegal immigrant workers. 
 
 The draft obtained by USA TODAY does not include sections that would alter the nation's legal immigration system to adjust the future flow of legal immigrants, which is expected to be a critical component of any immigration overhaul. 
 
 Read or Share this story: http://usat.ly/Usc9x6 ||||| Wisconsin Rep. Pau l Ryan doesn't want to engage in speculation about his political future, but he's not shutti ng the door on a presidential run in 2016. 
 
 " Will I, or won't I? I don't know ," Ryan s aid Sunday on ABC's "This Week." "I literally do not know the answer to these questions about what is the best role for me to play to fix these problems for our country in the future." 
 
 (PHOTOS : Republicans, 2016 con t enders) 
 
 
 
 Ryan, the 2012 vice presidential candidate, added: "The point is I don't know the answer because I'm just not putting a great deal of thought into it. I'm not foreclosing any opportunity. I may, or a I may not. I just don't know because right now, we just had an election. We've got jobs to do." 
 
 Ryan was responding to a POLITICO report that suggested that the Wisconsin Republican appears less interested in running for president, but he declined to engage with host Jonathan Karl about the matter. 
 
 "Actually Jonathan, you've known me a long time, and the one thing you know about me is I don't play that game. I don't talk like that. So when you see these articles that are really not accurate, that's par for the course in Washington these days. ... What bothers me is this permanent campaign the president has us in. We need to start thinking about doing our jobs after these elections than thinking about the next election." 
 
 
 
 (PHOTOS: Paul Ryan through the years) 
 
 Read more about: Paul Ryan ||||| Sen. John Barrasso said on Sunday that Chuck Hagel's nomination for defense secretary is "being rushed through" the Senate, and he rejected calls that a Republican hold on the nominee is obstructionism. 
 
 "He's going to be less effective because of the fact [that] the president nominated him," Barrasso said on CNN's "State of the Union." "I think it is going to impact him as he tries to limp across the finish line to get confirmed." 
 
 Barrasso, a Republican from Wyoming who opposes Hagel, said the former GOP senator from Nebraska was "wrong about Iran, wrong about Israel, wrong in Iraq, wrong with nuclear weapons." 
 
 Read more about: Chuck Hagel, John Barrasso, Defense Secretary ||||| Sen. Rand Paul says he'll wait until 2014 to decide whether to run for president, but he believes voters are ready for a Libertarian-minded Republican candidate. 
 
 "I would absolutely not run unless it were to win," the Kentucky Republican said on "Fox News Sunday." "Points have been made, and we we will continue to make points. But I think the country is really ready for the narrative coming — the Libertarian Republican narrative." 
 
 Voters want a "different face," he said. 
 
 
 
 (Also on POLITICO: Rubio: Reported W.H. immigration plan DOA) 
 
 In order to expand the party's reach, Paul believes the GOP should embrace candidates who are willing to push a less aggressive foreign policy, comprehensive immigration reform and less punitive measures on first offenders of nonviolent drug possession. 
 
 "We're doing fine in congressional seats, but we're becoming less and less of a national party," Paul said. 
 
 Paul has been making it clear for months that he's leaning toward a presidential run, but he added he won't make a final decision before next year. 
 
 In the interim, he said, he'll continue to make his points in the Senate, including over immigration. On the same program, Paul said he'll offer an amendment to the forthcoming bipartisan immigration bill that would require the Government Accountability Office to report annually whether the border is secure and force Congress to vote on those reports. That would occur before the 11 million illegal immigrants can achieve permanent residency, under Paul's plan. 
 
 "I do support the concept of telling the 11 million people here that if you want to work and you don't want to be on welfare, we're wiling to find a place for you in America," he said. 
 
 Read more about: Immigration, Rand Paul
– John McCain thinks Chuck Hagel is "the most unimpressive" Defense secretary nominee he's "ever seen," reports Politico, but that little detail shouldn't stop him from getting confirmed to lead the Pentagon. "No, I don't believe he's qualified, but I don't believe we should hold up his confirmation any further," he said today. Lindsey Graham chimed in, indicating that Hagel had assuaged concern over remarks on Israel, saying, "I will take him at his word until something else comes along"—though he did call him "one of the most unqualified, radical choices" for the job in a long time. Fellow Republican John Barrasso begged to differ with McCain, claiming Hagel's nomination is "being rushed through," and saying he would "be less effective" for it. "I think it is going to impact him as he tries to limp across the finish line to get confirmed." Elsewhere on the Sunday dial, as per Politico: White House chief of staff Denis McDonough on Obama's leaked immigration plan: "We've not proposed anything to Capitol Hill yet . We've got a bill ... we're preparing. We have developed each of these proposals so we have them in a position so that we can succeed." Chuck Schumer on the leaked bill: "I don't know what bill the president has out there. I haven't seen it. But they did say last night—I don't know how it occurred—that it wasn't their final or complete bill." Paul Ryan on 2016 in 2013: " The point is I don't know the answer because I'm just not putting a great deal of thought into it. I'm not foreclosing any opportunity. I may, or I may not. We just had an election. We've got jobs to do." Rand Paul on 2016 in 2013: "I would absolutely not run unless it were to win. Points have been made, and we we will continue to make points. But I think the country is really ready for the narrative coming—the Libertarian Republican narrative."