Associated Press
By David Espo
Associated Press
WASHINGTON — Speaker John Boehner left open the possibility Monday that the House might pass long-term funding for the Homeland Security Department without immigration provisions attached, as Republican options dwindled for avoiding a capitulation to the White House and Democrats.
Boehner declined to say over the weekend if he would permit a vote on the Senate-passed measure, and his spokesman similarly sidestepped the question Monday. Officials in both parties predict it would pass, and end the recurring threat of a partial agency shutdown.
Democrats said they believe the House eventually will vote on the stand-alone spending measure, which conservatives oppose and President Barack Obama is eager to sign. “It is long overdue for House Republicans to stop the obstruction of full funding for the Department of Homeland Security,” said Rep. Nancy Pelosi of California, the Democratic leader.
The White House also urged a vote on the bill, which would provide funding for the department through the Sept. 30 end of the budget year.
It has been stripped of provisions to roll back administration directives shielding millions of immigrants from the threat of deportation.
Democrats got an assist from an unlikely source. The American Action Network, a political organization with links to the House GOP leadership, said it would spend more than $400,000 this week in advertising pressuring conservatives not to stand in the way of “critical security funding.”
“That’s the wrong message to send to our enemies,” one ad said.
Across the Capitol, Senate Democrats did their part, formally rejecting a Republican bid to convene House-Senate negotiations on the issue.
The result was to send the long-term funding measure back to the House, where rules generally permit any lawmaker to seek a vote on it.
It was unclear when that might happen, but with the agency headed for a partial shutdown at midnight Friday, time was growing short.
Passage of the stand-alone spending bill would seal the failure of a Republican strategy designed to make Homeland Security funding contingent on concessions from Obama.
The president has issued a pair of directives since 2012 that lifted the threat of deportation from millions of immigrants living in the country illegally, steps that Republicans say exceeded his constitutional authority.
The Homeland Security Department, which has major anti-terrorism duties, is also responsible for border control.
