Source: Fox News
Summary
The Senate voted to fund most of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), excluding President Trump’s immigration enforcement and border security efforts. The bill will be sent to the House for consideration. The Senate bill accomplishes the first phase of a two-track approach to funding DHS, with Republicans seeking to fund ICE and the Border Patrol through a party-line budget reconciliation package.
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As expected, the matter has reached another stage.
The Senate passed a bipartisan deal funding most of DHS, with the House set to vote on the legislation after April 13. The bill excludes funding for ICE and the Border Patrol, with Republicans seeking to fund these agencies through a separate budget reconciliation package. President Trump has given lawmakers a hard deadline to end the record-breaking funding lapse. The Senate bill’s passage was a déjà vu moment for Senate Majority Leader John Thune, who helped steer the same measure through the upper chamber last week.
The process has entered a familiar phase, with Republicans using the budget reconciliation process to fund immigration enforcement for several years to come.
Meanwhile, Democrats have repeatedly blocked funding for ICE and the Border Patrol in the Senate, claiming victory in refusing to give a “blank check” for “reckless” enforcement.
The Senate deal could still face roadblocks in the House, with some conservatives vowing to vote “no” on the bill.
It’s a dance that’s been choreographed before, with familiar steps and a predictable outcome.
Author: Evan Null
