The Senate voted Friday to advance a $40 million Department of Homeland Security spending measure by a vote of 68-31, all but assuring final passage of a “clean” measure that will last until Sept. 30, the end of the fiscal year.
Senators will next vote on amendments that strip out language in the bill that would have curbed President Obama’s executive actions on immigration. They’ll also vote on a provision by Sen. Susan Collins, R-Me., that would block the president’s November executive action providing millions of illegal immigrants with access to work permits and federal benefits. The provision is likely to fail.
A temporary Homeland spending bill expires at midnight.
The House, meanwhile, is working on a bill that funds the department for just three weeks. They want the additional time to negotiate with the Senate on the long-term bill. House Republicans want to restore provisions that curb at least some of Obama’s immigration directives.
Republican senators who voted against advancing what will become the “clean” spending bill included Rand Paul, of Kentucky, Ted Cruz, of Texas and Mike Lee, of Utah.
