The House of Representatives Wednesday passed a $40 billion measure to fund the Department of Homeland Security that includes provisions curbing President Obama’s effort to provide work permits and federal benefits for millions of illegal immigrants.
The bill, which passed 236-191, now heads to the Senate, where the new GOP majority will struggle to find six Democrats in order to pass the legislation there.
The bill sets up the first potential showdown with Obama, who has threatened to veto the legislation.
Republicans billed the legislation as a measure that aimed to support and defend the Constitution against what they believe to be Obama’s unilateral actions on immigration.
“By their votes last November, the people made clear they want more accountability from this president,” House Speaker John Boehner said. “And by our votes here today, we will heed their will, and we will keep our oath to protect and defend the Constitution of the United States of America.”
A temporary funding measure for the Department of Homeland Security expires on Feb. 27.
The bill includes several provisions the Democrats staunchly oppose, chief among them a measure that would stop the implementation of Obama’s November executive action to allow millions of illegal immigrants to obtain work permits and some federal benefits.
Another amendment would roll back Obama’s 2012 Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, an executive action allowing work permits for young people who arrived here illegally as children. That provision narrowly passed, 218-209, with dozens of Republicans voting against it.
The Republican opposition underscored the divide among GOP lawmakers when it comes to dealing with some illegal immigrants, particularly those who arrived here as children.
The bill now heads to the Senate where most in the GOP agree it faces defeat.
That means Republicans will likely have to offer the funding legislation a second time, but exclude the amendments that would curb Obama’s executive actions.
“I think it would be difficult for this and other provisions to pass the Senate,” Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart, R-Fla., said of the DACA amendment.
Republicans are expected to discuss how to proceed with the DHS bill when they meet for a joint House-Senate GOP retreat beginning later Wednesday in Hershey, Pa.
This story was first published at 12:19 p.m. and has been updated.
