McConnell’s Acceptance of ‘Clean’ DHS Funding Bill Creates Tension in GOP

CAPITOL HILL — The Hill reported Wednesday that the U.S. Senate voted to open debate on a DHS funding bill, breaking the stalemate between members of the Republican and Democratic parties. The 98-2 vote came after both sides in the Senate agreed to debate a funding bill that does not include provisions that would reverse President Obama’s executive actions on deferred deportations.

Congress has until February 27 to pass a bill or the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) will partially shut down. This includes the Transportation Security Administration, the Secret Service, Customs and Border Protection, and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.

“We look forward to working with our Republican colleagues in the next 24 hours to get this done. All eyes now shift to the House of Representatives,” Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) said.

So far, House leadership has been mostly quiet on the prospect of voting on a “clean” DHS funding bill. However, this has not stopped other House Republicans from speaking up.

U.S. Rep. Mo Brooks (R-Ala.) said there is “no way on God’s green earth” he would vote for a bill that did not include the amendments to defund Obama’s deferred deportation programs. U.S. Rep. Ted Poe (R-Texas) said McConnell’s actions were not necessary.

“We’ve got the courts on our side,” he said. Poe is referring to a Texas judge’s decision to temporarily block Obama’s executive actions. The judge rejected a request from the U.S. Department of Justice to put a hold on this decision.

Politicos speculate that the clean DHS funding bill will easily pass the Senate now that both sides have agreed to debate the bill. However, its fate in the House is uncertain. Congress has a little over two days left to pass a bill that will survive a presidential veto.

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