US Congress’ 1-week spending fix averts security agency shutdown
Print Edition
THE United States Congress passed a one-week bill to avert a partial shutdown of the Homeland Security Department, as leaders in both parties quelled a revolt by House conservatives furious that the measure left President Barack Obama’s immigration policy intact.
The final vote late on Friday at the end of a long day was a bipartisan 357-60 in the House of Representatives, a little more than an hour after the Senate cleared the measure.
That sent the legislation to the White House for Obama’s signature, which the president provided just a few minutes before midnight, capping a day of bruising political battles and rhetoric to match.
Spending for the department had been held hostage in a proxy battle over Obama’s recent executive actions sparing millions of immigrants in the country illegally from deportation. Republicans won full control of Congress in November’s midterm elections.
The stunning House defeat of a three-week spending bill exposed Speaker John Boehner’s weakness in the face of rebellious conservatives. It also demonstrated anew his need to rely on Democratic help at key moments, as the minority party’s agreement to the one-week spending bill helped him to get it over the finish line with only hours to spare before a threatened agency shutdown.
“You have made a mess,” House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi said at one point to Republicans, as recriminations filled the House chamber and the midnight deadline neared for a partial shutdown of an agency with major anti-terrorism responsibilities.
Even some Republicans readily agreed. “There are terrorist attacks all over world and we’re talking about closing down Homeland Security. This is like living in world of crazy people,” tweeted Representative Peter King of New York.
Hours after conservatives joined with Democrats to vote down the three-week funding measure, 224-203, the Senate presented a one-week alternative to keep open the agency.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
