The Senate vote on Wednesday to begin debate on a $40 billion Homeland Security funding bill ended weeks of gridlock over the measure, but the threat of a department shutdown is not over.
The Senate is expected to approve the funding measure quickly, but it faces deep opposition in the House, where the significant faction of conservative Republicans have threatened to vote against it.
Their opposition is running up against a critical deadline. A stopgap measure that has kept Homeland Security running will expire on Feb. 27.
Conservatives say they are not concerned with the deadline and will vote against the Senate deal.
“I think the American people and the members of the United States Congress are dissatisfied with any plan that does not stop the president’s illegal and unconstitutional conduct,” Rep. Mo Brooks, R-Ala, told the Washington Examiner.
The Senate vote to advance the spending bill was 98-2 and came after Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., promised Democrats he will allow amendments to the legislation that would strip out language to curb President Obama’s executive actions on immigration.
The Senate deal includes a separate vote on a measure to block the president’s immigration directives, but it is likely to be blocked by Democrats.
Once lawmakers pass the bill in the Senate, it heads to the House, where conservative opposition has been unfaltering.
Far-right lawmakers have said they will oppose the deal because it uncouples the spending bill from language blocking the president’s executive action, which they say is unconstitutional. “That is the one tool we have to work with, which is funding and defunding,” Rep. John Fleming, R-La., told the Washington Examiner. “And that is the one we are going to use.”
With so many Republicans opposing it, the bill can only pass with Democratic support in the House. The dynamic puts intense pressure on House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, who would have to decide whether to abandon his conservative base by putting the bill on the floor for a vote, or risk shouldering the blame for failing to pass legislation in time to stop Homeland Security funding from running out.
“I’m waiting for the Senate to act,” said Boehner, who later Wednesday met with McConnell privately to discuss strategy.
Conservatives told the Examiner Boehner would face a revolt if he moves the bill to the floor. They say he promised to fight the president on his executive actions by using congressional spending authority within the Homeland Security funding bill.
“The political repercussions for the speaker would be pretty substantial,” said Rep. Matt Salmon, R-Ariz.
Boehner has survived challenges to his leadership in 2013 and again in 2015 when 25 GOP lawmakers voted against electing him to a third term as speaker.
Republican leadership has signaled many times they will not let funding for Homeland Security run out. The option of letting funding lapse appears increasingly unlikely following recent terrorist threats in the United States, including one involving the Mall of America in Minnesota.
House Appropriations Committee Chairman Hal Rogers, R-Ky., said he is prepared with legislation to fund Homeland Security beyond Friday, in either a short-term or a long-term measure.
But conservatives, including Rep. Steve King, R-Iowa, say they are not concerned with a funding lapse, noting that most of the department are deemed essential employees who would report to work. They’ll vote against any “clean” funding bill, they said, and are eager for Boehner to face off with Obama over his executive actions.
“Just bring it,” King said. “Let’s see who cracks first.”
