John Boehner tells Texas business leaders he expects to be House speaker next year

SAN ANTONIO, May 12 (UPI) -- John Boehner told business leaders in San Antonio on Monday that he expects to be House speaker next year but is unsure if he will still be in Congress in November 2016.

The Ohio Republican addressed a Chamber of Commerce event, participating in a question-and-answer session with Evan Smith, the editor in chief of the non-profit political website, the Texas Tribune. Boehner said he expects his colleagues to select him as speaker when Congress reconvenes next year.

"This issue comes up from time to time. I have a very good relationship with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle," he said. "Even in my party, even with some people with which we have disagreement almost every day, I have a good relationship with them as well. It's open, it's honest and it's straightforward. So, I'm looking forward to it."

Boehner would not commit to what would happen after 2015.

"Listen, I can't predict what's going to happen," he told Smith. "I'm going to be 65 years old in November. I never thought I'd live to be 60 so I'm living on borrowed time."

On the issue of immigration reform, Boehner said he hoped the House would make changes piece by piece. But he acknowledged that "some members of my party that just do not want to deal with this."

Immigration activists pushing for reform held a demonstration outside the Marriott Rivercenter.