March 4, 2015
Unbiased Political News
On Tuesday, the Republican led House passed legislation to keep DHS operating through the end of September. With a 257-167 vote, the bill now goes to President Barack Obama for his signature and prevents the furlough of thousands of vital DHS workers.
Although a majority of House Republicans opposed the bill, Speaker John Boehner, who rarely casts votes, joined his top lieutenants in backing it. In the end, a slight 75 GOP lawmakers joined 182 Democrats to push the DHS funding bill across the finish line.
Boehner and his cronies had originally given President Obama an ultimatum: they would approve funding for DHS provided that he pull back on recent executive orders regarding immigration. Although the ploy was a top priority for conservatives, it would have held the entire country hostage and left the U.S. vulnerable. With Boehner already taking heat for his clandestine partnering with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to speak before congress without the White House’s knowledge or approval, it was eventually in his best interest to simply retreat from the DHS standoff.
In a message to department’s employees, Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson praised the vote and assured workers their jobs and financial security would remain in tact.
“Without a doubt, the path to get here was an 11th-hour roller-coaster ride,” he said. “But, in the end Congress provided a strong bipartisan vote of confidence in our department and your work.”
These Repubs never learn. How do you play politics with homeland security? This is going to cost them come election time.