The White House is preparing a major base push to pass the DREAM Act next year

WASHINGTON - The White House is preparing a major base push to pass the DREAM Act next year, the president said on Wednesday was one of his top priorities after the legislation failed in the recent lame-duck session. Recognizing the next Congress will be much more resistant to the President's agenda, the White House also supports changing the rules of the Senate, although not involved in specific proposals.

In a conference call with reporters Wednesday, the White House, Dan Pfeiffer, communications director said the President is willing to "undertake a very public campaign" to promote the DREAM Act, which would give undocumented students who were brought to United States as children by their parents a path to citizenship through higher education or military service. He said grassroots activism, will be essential for success.

"The President always said during the campaign that change comes from the bottom up, and issues such as the DREAM Act, you have to, because there is real reluctance in Washington - especially on the other side, but some of us - - and I think we need to get people active, and I think you'll find a lot of that in the coming months and years, "Pfeiffer said in response to a question from The Huffington Post.

During a news conference Wednesday, Obama said he will contact the Republicans, who may believe "in his heart of hearts" that the passage of the DREAM Act is what to do, but I think the policy is difficult .

"Well, that may mean we have to change policy," Obama said. "And I have to spend some time talking to the American people, and others have to spend some time talking to the American people, because I think if the American people knew any of these children - you probably do, just can not know their status - it seems that, of course, want that is what we are That's the better angels of our nature "...

Pfeiffer said the White House also was frustrated by the slowness of the confirmation of judicial nominees and staff of the President. In the past, Obama has adopted to change the Senate rules, saying that "I will say that as an observer of our political process, which if not managed how to use the veto in the Senate, then it will be very difficult for us in the long term to compete in a fast-moving global environment. "

Pfeiffer, however, said the White House would not support any specific proposal, because it is an issue that the Senate has to work for herself. "I'm not sure that a president involved in a case such as the legislative power is considered constructive by the other branch," he said.

As The Huffington Post has reported, the principal senators filibuster reform effort have said bipartisan support is building around three proposals: 1) no longer allowing senators to block the movement to proceed and allow instead a fixed amount of time for discussion, 2) ending secrecy is maintained, and 3) to stop filibustering senators hide behind calls for a quorum and force them to talk if they block a bill. Senator Tom Harkin (D-Illinois) said he hoped that "fireworks", the January 5, 2011, the day that the Senate may, according to him, to reform its rules, by simple majority.