House Republicans have pulled a border security bill from floor consideration this week amid concerns by conservatives that the legislation is not tough enough.
Republican leadership aides told the Washington Examiner that internal opposition was not behind their decision, but conservatives are claiming victory.
“They knew they didn’t have the support for this bill,” one GOP lawmaker told the Washington Examiner, requesting anonymity. Republican leadership aides pointed to the weather forecast of 1-3 inches of snow in the Washington area, coupled with a blizzard forecast in the Northeast, that could make it difficult for many lawmakers to travel to Washington D.C. In addition, leadership aides said, they are dealing with a shortened legislative schedule this week due to a planned Democratic retreat.
“We don’t have enough time,” said a spokesman for House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif.
But conservatives say the the bill was pulled from scheduled floor debate mainly because conservatives wouldn’t support it.
Some of them said they feared it would be used to dodge a Department of Homeland Security spending showdown with President Obama over his executive actions aimed at providing work permits for millions of illegal immigrants.
A House-passed bill that would defund Obama’s executive moves on immigration has yet to be considered in the Senate.
“We should finish the amnesty issue before we start up another bill,” Rep. Tim Huelskamp, R-Kan., told the Examiner.
The border bill, authored by Homeland Security Committee Chairman Michael McCaul, R-Texas, would set deadlines for DHS to secure the border and would require other enhancements aimed at stopping the influx of illegal immigrants.
Conservatives said the bill lacked improvements to interior enforcement, which the GOP leadership said would be debated in future legislation.
Conservatives told the Washington Examiner they want lawmakers to debate an interior enforcement bill alongside the McCaul border security bill. An interior enforcement bill could be ready as early as February, some lawmakers said.
Conservatives are particularly eager to address the “catch and release” policies that have resulted in the release of tens of thousands of illegals, including thousands with criminal convictions.
Opposition began mounting last week among lawmakers. Over the weekend, the National Border Patrol Council, the union representing more than 16,000 border patrol agents, put out a statement opposing the legislation, saying it would “do very little,” to secure the border because it did not call for enough of an increase in staffing, resources or training.
Sen. Jeff Sessions, R-Ala., a staunch proponent of border security enhancements, said he also opposes the House measure.
The growing chorus of opposition left Republican leaders on Monday with little choice but to pull the legislation.
It’s likely the GOP would have needed most of the GOP conference to back the border bill because Democratic caucus so far has registered strong opposition. Democrats say the bill was crafted without their input and unanimously opposed it in a committee vote last week.
A McCarthy aide did not know when the border security bill will be back on the floor, saying the weather is interfering with plans to discuss the bill in a private conference with rank and file Republicans.
“We are still gauging how many members are delayed by the blizzard,” the aide said.
Conservatives say the GOP leadership is using a convenient excuse to hide the internal discontent.
“For them,” one lawmaker said “It was the perfect storm.”
