Because the bill was brought up on the suspension calendar, it needed a two-thirds vote, or about 290 ayes, for approval. It supporters came up short, 257 to 158.

The vote brought predictable calls of blame from both parties, but not from U.S. Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY), who has . Schumer urged U.S. Rep. Lamar Smith (R-Texas), who sponsored the House bill, to seek new negotiations.

"A bipartisan compromise can easily be ready for the lame duck session," Schumer said in a statement. "There is too broad a consensus in favor of this policy to settle for gridlock."

The bill quickly became part of the larger immigration debate. Although the legislation was targeted at advanced-degree holders from U.S. universities, Democrats charged that it was designed to reduce legal immigration and that's what made it palatable to conservatives.

Smith's bill was introduced after the two sides failed to reach an agreement on a compromise.